Anthem Insurance Hacked: ‘Tens of Millions’ of Victims

Anthem Insurance Hacked: ‘Tens of Millions’ of Victims

by William Bigelow5 Feb 2015

http://www.breitbart.com/california/2015/02/05/anthem-insurance-hacked-tens-of-millions-of-victims/

One of the largest data breaches in history was revealed Wednesday, as health insurance giant Anthem Inc. acknowledged that its computer system had been violated starting on December 10. The company noticed the breach on January 27 and verified it two days later.

The hack puts at least 37 million people in California at risk, as it includes access to the customers’ names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, member ID numbers, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and employment information, according to the Los Angeles Times. Medical information and credit card numbers appear to have been protected from the attack.

Jaime Blasco of AlienVault, a San Mateo, Calif., information security firm, told the Times, “If confirmed, we are dealing with one of the biggest data breaches in history and probably the biggest data breach in the healthcare industry. For individuals, in a few words, it is a nightmare. If the attackers had access to names, birthdays, addresses and Social Security numbers, it means that information can be easily used to carry out identity theft schemes.”

Anthem, the nation’s second-largest health insurer and the top company by enrollment on the Covered California insurance exchange, released a statement that read: “Cyber attackers executed a very sophisticated attack to gain unauthorized access” to one of the company’s computer systems and “have obtained personal information relating to consumers and Anthem Blue Cross employees who are currently covered, or who have received coverage in the past.”

Anthem’s chief executive, Joseph Swedish, sent an email to customers commiserating with their predicament. He wrote: “Anthem’s own associates’ personal information–including my own–was accessed during this security breach. We join you in your concern and frustration, and I assure you that we are working around the clock to do everything we can to further secure your data.”

The hack into comes at an inopportune time for Anthem, which is trying to enroll as many people as it can before the Feb. 15 deadline for the Affordable Care Act.

Anthem joins other major companies and institutions that have been hacked; some of the others and the number of people affected include: Court Ventures; 200 million; Ebay: 145 million; Heartland: 130 million; TJ Maxx: 94 million; AOL: 92 million; Sony: 77 million; J Morgan Chase: 76 million; the U.S. military: 76 million; Home Depot: 56 million; and Evernote: 50 million.

Anthem, Inc.

Alston & Bird was the lobby firm for Anthem, Inc.

Note: Tom Daschle was a special policy adviser at Alston & Bird, is the chairman for the Center for American Progress, and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Center for American Progress was a funder for the America's Health Insurance Plans, and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is a member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Podesta Group is the lobby firm for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Anthony T. Podesta is the founder & chairman for the Podesta Group, and John D. Podesta’s brother.

John D. Podesta is Anthony T. Podesta’s brother, a counselor for the Barack Obama administration, and the founder of the Center for American Progress.

Ezekiel Emanuel was the health care policy adviser for the Barack Obama administration, is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and Rahm I. Emanuel’s brother.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress, and the Bard College.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, Jonathan Soros’s father, was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, and a supporter for the Center for American Progress.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Center for American Progress, the Roosevelt Institute, the Brookings Institution (think tank), the New America Foundation, and the Bard College.

Rosa Brooks was a special counsel to the president for the Open Society Foundations, and a columnist for the Los Angeles Times.

Bonnie G. Hill was the SVP for the Los Angeles Times, and a director at the Home Depot Inc.

Madeleine K. Albright is a director at the Center for American Progress, and is the co-chairman for the Albright Stonebridge Group.

Albright Stonebridge Group was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Carol M. Browner is a senior counselor for the Albright Stonebridge Group, a senior fellow, director for the Center for American Progress, and was the energy czar for the Barack Obama administration.

Melody C. Barnes is a senior adviser for the Albright Stonebridge Group, Barack Obama’s golf partner, was a domestic policy council, director for the Barack Obama administration, and the EVP for the Center for American Progress.

Barack Obama’s golf partner is Melody C. Barnes, the president of the Barack Obama administration, and was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Carter G. Phillips is a partner at Sidley Austin LLP, and was an attorney for eBay Inc.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.        

Newton N. Minow is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

R. Eden Martin is counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, and the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

David D. Hiller was a partner at Sidley Austin LLP, the publisher & president & CEO for the Los Angeles Times, is a trustee at the Roosevelt University, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Anna Eleanor Roosevelt is a trustee at the Roosevelt University, and the chair for the Roosevelt Institute.

James Roosevelt Jr. is a governor for the Roosevelt Institute, a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans, and was an associate commissioner for the Social Security Administration.

Center for American Progress was a funder for the America's Health Insurance Plans, and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP was a funder for the Center for American Progress, and the lobby firm for America's Health Insurance Plans.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), Valerie B. Jarrett’s great uncle, a director at the American Friends of Bilderberg (think tank), and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Crandall C. Bowles is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a director at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Michael P. Schulhof is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and was the president & CEO for the Sony Corporation of America.

Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Valerie B. Jarrett is Vernon E. Jordan Jr’s great niece, the senior adviser for the Barack Obama administration, and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Kathleen L. Brown is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, the California state government governor Jerry Brown’s sister, and was the California state government treasurer.

Rahm I. Emanuel is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, Ezekiel Emanuel’s brother, the Chicago (IL) mayor, and was the White House chief of staff for the Barack Obama administration.

Jonathan Soros is George Soros’s son, the vice chairman for the Open Society Foundations, a senior fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, and a director at the New America Foundation.

Peter G. Peterson Foundation was a funder for the New America Foundation, and commissioned the Long-Term Cost of the American Affordable Health Choices Act.

Joe Mathews was a senior fellow at the New America Foundation, and a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times.

Walter Russell Mead is a director at the New America Foundation, a professor at Bard College, and was a contributing editor for the Los Angeles Times.

Richard T. Schlosberg III was the publisher & CEO for the Los Angeles Times, and is a director at eBay Inc.