Notice of Data Incident
On May 16, 2023, Fairfax Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery experienced a security incident that resulted in the encryption of certain files on our systems. While we have no reason to believe that our patient’s personal information has been misused for the purpose of committing fraud or identify theft, we are posting this notice to alert our patients of what happened and explain steps they can take to protect themselves, if they feel it is appropriate.
Upon discovering this incident, we promptly began an internal investigation, notified law enforcement, and engaged a forensic security firm to investigate and confirm the security of our computer systems. Based on this investigation, we believe an unauthorized party accessed our computer network between May 15, 2023 and May 16, 2023.
On July 11, 2023, we determined that the files encrypted by the unauthorized party contained personal information pertaining to certain individuals. The involved personal information varied by person but included name, driver’s license number, Social Security number, health insurance information, and/or medical information. The investigation did not find evidence that any files were acquired from our network during the incident, and we are not aware of any instances of anyone’s personal information having been misused; nevertheless, we are notifying all patients whose personal information was contained on the encrypted systems.
On July 14, 2023, we began sending written notification to the individuals whose personal information was contained on the encrypted systems and for whom we had contact information. Involved individuals should refer to the notice that they will receive in the mail regarding steps they can take to protect themselves. As described in those letters, we have arranged for complimentary identity theft protection services.
As a precautionary measure, involved individuals should remain vigilant to protect against potential fraud and/or identity theft by, among other things, reviewing their account statements, monitoring their credit reports closely, and notifying their financial institutions if unusual activity is detected. They should also promptly report any fraudulent activity or suspected identity theft to proper law enforcement authorities, including the police and their state’s attorney general. Affected individuals may also wish to review the tips provided by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) on fraud alerts, security/credit freezes and steps that they can take to avoid identity theft. For more information and to contact the FTC, please visit www.ftc.gov/idtheft or call 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338). Affected individuals may also contact the FTC at: Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.
Contact information for the three national credit reporting agencies is as follows:
| Equifax
P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348 |
Experian
P.O. Box 9554 Allen, TX 75013 |
TransUnion
P.O. Box 1000 Chester, PA 19016 |
We take the security of individuals’ personal information very seriously and apologize for any inconvenience or concern this incident might cause. Additional information is available via a confidential, toll-free inquiry line at 833-627-2729 from 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. EST, Monday – Friday.