(L-R) Jennifer Flackett, Andrew Goldberg, Mark Levin and Nick Kroll attend the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project LA County's Politics, Sex, & Cocktails fundraiser on October 6, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Planned Parenthood)
The Los Angeles branch of Planned Parenthood was hit by a data breach involving about 400,000 patients, but there is no indication that the information was used “for fraudulent purposes," the group said.
A hacker installed computer malware between Oct. 9 and Oct. 17 and “exfiltrated" files containing patient names and possibly addresses, insurance and medical information, including procedures they may have undergone, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles warned Tuesday.
“Patients are encouraged to review statements from their healthcare providers or health insurers and contact them immediately if they see charges for services they did not receive," the branch said in a statement.
The attack involved ransomware, software that hackers can use to lock an organization out of its own computer network until a ransom is paid, but the group didn't immediately say whether any ransom was paid.
The breach is under investigation, the organization said.
The announcement came a day before the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments that could affect whether the nationwide right to abortion is overturned. The court’s historic 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion throughout the United States, and its 1992 ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Casey reaffirmed Roe.
Planned Parenthood has been hacked before. The Metropolitan Washington branch this year revealed that patient and donor information was breached in 2020, and in 2015, hackers posted online the names and other information on hundreds of Planned Parenthood employees.
The fatal stabbing of a Catholic priest inside the church rectory where he lived has rocked the eastern Nebraska community of Fort Calhoun, a one-stoplight town where people tend not to worry if they forget to lock their doors at night.
Tuesday night is the sixth night of Hanukkah and to celebrate the occasion. Chef and TV personality Melanie Shurka joined Cheddar News to prepare latkes, a Hanukkah staple, along with other favorites.
Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" has reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart the past four years in a row and it's reasonable to assume 2023 will be no different.
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With the holiday season here, many families and friends are looking for enjoyable events to experience together. Vincent Ortega, associate director of Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland, a must-see all-musical show for all ages with some stunts, top performances, and dazzling costumes. Plus, the circus provides a performance for Cheddar News viewers in studio!
