Suspected Cyberattack on Aetna Vendor May Impact Members’ Personal Data in Maine

Cyberattack on Aetna’s Third-Party Vendor Raises Concerns for Members’ Personal Data Security

1. Aetna Insurance’s third-party vendor NationsBenefits suffered a suspected cyberattack, potentially impacting members’ personal data, including Maine residents.
2. Breached personal data includes names, genders, health plan ID numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth.
3. Affected individuals should check credit reports regularly, place fraud alerts, and consider freezing their credit for protection.

Aetna Insurance has reported a suspected cyberattack on a third-party vendor, NationsBenefits, which could potentially impact the personal data of some of its members, including those residing in Maine.

NationsBenefits provides hearing and flex card benefits to a subset of Aetna members. In a statement to the I-Team, an Aetna spokesperson said, “Nothing is more central to us than protecting the privacy and security of our members’ information, and we regret any inconvenience this may cause.” They added that Aetna is closely collaborating with NationsBenefits in their ongoing investigation.

In a notification sent to affected customers, NationsBenefits revealed that the cybersecurity attack occurred in late January. The company explained that a “malicious actor” accessed data through third-party software used for exchanging files with Aetna. The breached personal data includes first names, middle initials, last names, genders, health plan ID numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth.

While the exact number of Mainers affected by the breach remains uncertain, a filing in New Hampshire indicates that over 7,000 individuals in that state were impacted.

For those affected by the cyberattack, the following steps are recommended:

1. Check statements and credit reports regularly: This is the simplest way to detect any suspicious activity early on.
2. Place a fraud alert: Contact your bank or the three credit bureaus to do this. A fraud alert will notify you of any suspicious activity on your accounts.
3. Freeze your credit: This is the best protection against identity thieves using your data to open new lines of credit. Freezing and unfreezing your credit is free and can be done whenever you want to open an account.

To freeze your credit, contact each of the three major credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – individually:

• Equifax: Call 800-349-9960 or go online
• Experian: Call 888-397-3742 or go online
• TransUnion: Call 888-909-8872 or go online

To request a freeze, the Federal Trade Commission states that you will need to provide your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, and other personal information.

A security freeze will not affect your credit score and will still allow access to your free annual credit report.