Jobscience jobscience.com Jobscience data breach: what happened and what to do
An unauthorized party reached a Jobscience server around May 8, 2018 and copied a database from its Talent Path job application service. Customer notices say names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers were exposed for some applicants.
View all 13,177 breaches- Breach date
- 8 May 2018
- Made public
- 3 Apr 2019
- Data exposed
- Names, Physical addresses, Dates of birth, Social security numbers, Driver's licenses
- 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
Jobscience makes recruiting software, and its Talent Path service is used mostly by healthcare organizations to manage job applications. Customer notices say an unauthorized third party gained access to a Jobscience server around May 8, 2018 and copied a database from that service. A regulator's record in Alberta says Jobscience learned of the attack from the FBI in late August 2018.
The breach came to light through notices from the employers who used the service, not from Jobscience alone. Citrus Valley Health Partners, NorthBay Healthcare, El Centro Regional Medical Center, Tallahassee Memorial Hospital and Huntsville Hospital are among those reported to have notified people. The California Attorney General listed Jobscience in 2019.
Sources checked: oag.ca.gov, bullhorn.com, consumer.ftc.gov
Last verified against the official page:
What was exposed
It depended on the employer. One notice listed names, addresses, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, driver's license numbers and alien registration numbers. Another employer said Social Security numbers weren't involved in its case. Check your own letter for what applies to you. Applicants going back years can be affected: one hospital's notice covered applications from 2005 to 2018.
Job application data is worth money to criminals. An applicant's Social Security number and date of birth can open credit, and a fake job offer that mentions a real application is a common scam.
The company's response
Bullhorn, which acquired Jobscience, says it patched the server, forced password resets and confirmed other Jobscience servers weren't affected.
What this means for you
If you applied for a job at a healthcare employer that used this software and got a letter, act on the data type it names.
What to do if you were in it
- 1
Freeze your credit at all three bureaus
A freeze is free and stops most new accounts being opened in your name. Place it separately at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, as the FTC explains. Lift it when you apply for credit yourself.
- 2
Read your statements and explanation of benefits
Look for charges, accounts or medical services you don't recognize, and report anything odd to the company that sent it.
- 3
Expect messages that mention the breach
Scammers write to affected people with real details to sound credible. Don't click links in unexpected emails or texts. Go to the company's own site or the phone number on your card.
- 4
Report misuse
If someone uses your details, report it at IdentityTheft.gov to get a recovery plan.
- 5
Check whether your email or phone is in this and other breaches
A free Serus scan checks breach databases for your email, phone and other details and alerts you when they appear in a new leak.
Official filings
- Washington Attorney General , filed 3 Apr 2019 : 1,787 people
Timeline
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The breach happened
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The company made it public
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Reported to the Washington Attorney General
Frequently asked
Was I affected by the Jobscience breach?
If you applied for a job through an employer that used Jobscience's Talent Path service and got a notice letter, yes. The notice names what was taken.
What was exposed?
It varied by employer. Some notices list names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers.
Why did the notice come from my employer?
The employers used Jobscience's software to run their hiring, so they notified applicants on its behalf.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
