ESO Solutions eso.com ESO Solutions data breach: what happened and what to do
ESO Solutions, a software provider for hospitals and fire departments, reported a ransomware attack in 2023 that affected 2.7 million people. HHS says it exposed names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, diagnoses and treatment information.
View all 13,115 breaches- Breach date
- 17 Sept 2023
- Made public
- 18 Dec 2023
- Affected
- 2,700,000
- Data exposed
- Names, Physical addresses, Phone numbers, Dates of birth, Social security numbers, Medical information, Treatment information
- Last updated
What happened
ESO Solutions, based in Austin, Texas, makes software for hospitals, EMS and fire departments. The company reported a ransomware attack to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that compromised the health information of 2,700,000 people. HHS lists the incident date as 17 September 2023. Press reports say ESO took systems offline and later found that data had been copied out, then began mailing notices in December 2023.
Because ESO is a vendor, most affected people never dealt with it directly. Their details came through the hospitals and agencies that use its software.
What was exposed
HHS's case summary lists names, addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, diagnoses and conditions, medications and other treatment information.
That mix is serious. A Social Security number and date of birth enable identity theft. Diagnosis and medication details make medical-themed phishing and extortion attempts more believable.
The company's response
ESO says it added administrative and technical safeguards. SecurityWeek reports that it offered a year of identity monitoring through Kroll and had found no evidence of misuse.
What it means for you
If you got a letter, enroll in the monitoring and freeze your credit. Read your insurer's explanation of benefits statements for treatments you never had.
What to do if you were in it
- 1
Freeze your credit
Place a free credit freeze at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. It blocks most new accounts opened in your name, and you can lift it whenever you apply for credit yourself.
- 2
Read your medical statements
Review explanation of benefits statements from your insurer and question any care or prescription you didn't receive.
- 3
Expect phishing that mentions the breach
Emails, texts and calls may quote real details about you. Don't click links or give out information; go to the company's site yourself.
- 4
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 in a new leak.
Frequently asked
Was I affected by the ESO Solutions breach?
Affected people received a letter. ESO is a vendor to hospitals and fire departments, so the letter may be the first time you hear its name.
What was exposed?
HHS lists names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, diagnoses and conditions, medications and other treatment information.
Is there free credit monitoring?
Press reports say ESO offered a year of identity monitoring through Kroll. Check your letter for the enrollment details.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
