Pitkin County - Notice of Data Privacy Incident

PITKIN COUNTY, Colo., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pitkin County learned of an incident that may affect the privacy of certain information and is providing notice so that affected individuals may take steps to better protect their personal information, should they feel it is appropriate to do so.  To date, Pitkin County has seen no evidence that any personal information has been misused as a result of this incident.

What Happened? On December 14, 2020, Pitkin County became aware of potential unauthorized access to a file containing information related to COVID-19 case investigations and/or contact tracing. Upon discovery, Pitkin County commenced an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the incident.  Pitkin County determined that the file was inadvertently accessible via the internet between October 1, 2020, and December 14, 2020, and was subject to unauthorized access. Pitkin County immediately took steps to remediate this issue to prevent access from the internet. 

What Information Was Involved? Specific information varies by individual, but the investigation determined that the affected file contained the some or all of the following information: Name, Address, Date of Birth, Employer, Name of School/Childcare Facility, Underlying Conditions, Test Type, Unique ID, Symptoms, Onset Date, If a flu vaccination was received and type of flu vaccination. The affected file did not contain Social Security numbers or financial information.

What Are We Doing? Pitkin County takes the confidentiality, privacy, and security of information in our care very seriously, and we are taking action to help ensure that a similar situation does not occur in the future. 

Upon learning of the incident, Pitkin County immediately took steps to ensure the security of the affected file and strengthen our data protection processes. Pitkin County continues to review existing policies and procedures to maximize information security. In addition, Pitkin County will be reporting this incident to relevant state and federal regulators, as required.

While Pitkin County has no evidence of misuse of information contained in the file, Pitkin County is offering affected individuals access to twelve (12) months of credit monitoring and identity restoration services at no cost to them through ID Experts.

This incident is unrelated to Pitkin County's contract tracers or their procedures to support an effective disease control strategy and keep our community safer through this pandemic.

For More Information. To assist individuals who may have further questions about this incident, Pitkin County has established a toll-free hotline and email address.  Individuals with additional questions can contact Pitkin County at 1-833-226-4422 or via email at [email protected].

SOURCE Pitkin County