Dallas County dallascounty.org Dallas County data breach: what happened and what to do
Dallas County, Texas had a ransomware attack on October 19, 2023. It reported that 201,404 people were affected nationwide. Reports say Social Security numbers, medical information and health insurance details were exposed.
View all 13,177 breaches- Breach date
- 19 Oct 2023
- Affected
- 201,404
- Data exposed
- Social security numbers, Medical information, Health insurance information
- Last updated
Reviewed by Anthon Wansland
Head of Product & Co-Founder
Serus is a privacy company with paid tools to find and remove your personal data. This page is free and based on official sources.
What happened
On October 19, 2023, Dallas County in Texas found a data security incident that affected parts of its internal network. The county told regulators it was a ransomware attack. The Play ransomware group claimed responsibility and said in early November that it had published stolen files.
The county reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that 201,404 people were affected in total. The Texas Attorney General's listing counts 67,701 Texans, which is one state's share, not the total. Notices went out in July 2024, nine months after the attack.
Sources checked: securityaffairs.com, bleepingcomputer.com, maine.gov
Last verified against the official page:
What was exposed
News coverage of the county's notice lists Social Security numbers, medical information and health insurance details. HHS describes the data as clinical, demographic and financial information. Not everyone had every item exposed, so your letter is the one that says what applies to you.
What that means for you
A Social Security number is the most serious item here. With a name and a date of birth, it is enough to apply for credit in someone else's name, and the misuse can start long after the leak. Medical and insurance details can feed fake claims and convincing phone scams that quote real treatment.
The county's response
Reports say people whose Social Security or taxpayer ID numbers were exposed were offered two years of credit monitoring and identity theft protection. The county also added security safeguards, according to its HHS filing.
What to do if you were in it
- 1
Freeze your credit
A credit freeze is free and you place it separately at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, as the FTC explains. It blocks most new accounts in your name. Do this first if your Social Security number was in the notice.
- 2
Use the credit monitoring if you were offered it
The FTC recommends taking free credit monitoring after a breach. Follow the instructions and deadline in your letter.
- 3
Read your insurance statements
Check explanation of benefits statements from your insurer and question any treatment or claim you don't recognize.
- 4
Expect scams that mention the breach
Texts, emails and calls may quote the breach to sound real. Don't click links in them. Contact the county or your insurer through the number on their own site.
- 5
Report misuse
If someone uses your details, report it at IdentityTheft.gov to get a recovery plan.
- 6
Check whether your email or phone is in this and other breaches
Run a free Serus scan. Serus monitors breach databases and the dark web and alerts you when your details show up. It can't remove breach data, so the steps above are what protect you.
Official filings
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , filed 14 Apr 2023 : 201,404 people
Timeline
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Reported to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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The breach happened
Frequently asked
Was I affected by the Dallas County data breach?
The county mailed notices to affected people. If you got a letter, your data was involved. If you didn't, check the county's website or ask it directly.
What was exposed in the Dallas County breach?
Reports list Social Security numbers, medical information and health insurance details. Your letter lists what applies to you.
Does 201,404 people mean only Texans were affected?
No. 201,404 is the total reported to HHS across the country. The Texas Attorney General's listing counts 67,701 Texans.
Should I freeze my credit?
If your Social Security number was exposed, yes. A freeze is free, you place it at each of the three bureaus, and you can lift it whenever you need to apply for credit.
Sources
- securityaffairs.com/165623/cyber-crime/dallas-county-ransomware-attack-impacts.html
- bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/dallas-county-data-of-200-000-exposed-in-2023-ransomware-attack/
- maine.gov/agviewer/content/ag/985235c7-cb95-4be2-8792-a1252b4f8318/31906630-6e37-40e0-828c-e094feb7bcd7.html
- ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/breach/breach_report.jsf
- consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-credit-freezes-and-fraud-alerts
- consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2022/10/have-you-been-affected-data-breach-read
- identitytheft.gov/databreach
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