Some Contra Costa County workers may have had their personal information compromised during a series of email data breaches that occurred last year, the county announced this week.
An investigation determined that an unauthorized person accessed the county employees’ email accounts “at various times” between June 24 and Aug. 12, 2021. According to the county, the investigation did not determine whether any emails or attachments in the accounts were accessed or downloaded by the unauthorized individual, “however, the county was not able to rule out the possibility,” they said.
The breach exposed “certain county employee emails” as well as individuals who communicated with the county’s Employment and Human Services Department. This information contained names, social security numbers, driver’s license or state-issued ID numbers, financial account numbers, passport numbers and medical information and/or health insurance information.
The county sent out letters on Friday to people they believe may have had personal information in the email accounts. The county is also providing information about the incident and steps those affected can take, a spokesperson for the county said.
The county says it is offering free credit monitoring to eligible individuals.
Contra Costa County has set up a toll-free call center line for people to call with questions about this incident. Residents can also call to confirm whether or not their data may have been exposed. The number is 855-604-1854, Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The county’s website also has information.
Contra Costa said it has implemented additional safeguards in the wake of this incident and will “continue to make further enhancements to the security of its computer systems and protocols.”