PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The City of Philadelphia said hackers breached its email system and had access to it for two months last year, putting the personal information of tens of thousands of residents at risk.
In a June 21 notice revealed on Saturday, the city said an unauthorized user may have obtained information contained in as many as 35,881 email accounts between May and July of 2023. Addresses, Social Security numbers, medical billing information and more were potentially exposed.
The city said it conducted a review that was completed last month and found no evidence of identity theft or fraud, but hackers often sell stolen personal information to others for months or even years after a breach. People who were affected are being notified by mail.
The city is taking steps to bolster security. It also reported the incident to government regulators.
Anyone affected by the hack should pay close attention to their account statements and credit reports, officials advised. Anyone with questions can call 1-866-898-0867 Monday through Friday, or email hipaaprivacy@phila.gov.