Data Breach Exposes Rhode Island Residents' Personal Information

A significant data breach has compromised the personal information of approximately 650,000 Rhode Islanders, including minors, with sensitive data leaked on the dark web by the cybercriminal group Brain Cipher. The breach affects the RIBridges system, crucial for managing state programs like Medicaid and SNAP. Governor Dan McKee confirmed that the state is collaborating with Deloitte, the system's vendor, to assess the extent of the leak and has launched a communication strategy to inform those impacted. Individuals are advised to take immediate precautions such as freezing credit reports and monitoring their financial activity. Although the data has been released, officials emphasize that it has not yet been confirmed to be used for identity theft. The state continues to investigate the incident and will provide affected residents with information on accessing free credit monitoring.