PROVIDENCE – Vendors working for the state have set up a call center to answer customer questions following the cyberattack earlier this month on Rhode Island’s public benefits computer system in which private information from hundreds of thousands of people was stolen. 

Deloitte, the information technology company that built and runs the system known as RIBridges and UHIP, contracted credit reporting agency Experian to run the multilingual call that opened Sunday morning. 

The toll-free hotline can be reached at 833-918-6603. It was set to remain open on Sunday until 8 p.m. and then continue operating from Mondays to Fridays between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. 

“Call center staff will be able to provide general information about the breach as well as steps customers can take now to protect their data,” a news release from the Gov. Dan McKee’s office said. “Unfortunately, as the analysis of the data involved is still happening, call center staff will not be able to confirm whether a particular individual’s data is or is not included in the breach at this time.”  

“Once the impacted individuals are identified, they will be mailed a letter with the information they need to secure free credit monitoring services,” the release continued. 

Data breach: Governor says stolen data could be exposed in the coming week. Here’s what to do right now

The RIBridges system was shut down on Friday after Deloitte discovered dangerous malware embedded in its computer code. On Saturday, McKee said that the cybercriminals had stolen the personal data belonging to hundreds of thousands of Rhode Islanders. A negotiator has been holding ransom talks with the criminals, and it’s believed the data could be exposed as early as this week, the governor said at a news conference. 

Individuals who have received or applied for health coverage or health and human services programs or benefits could be affected by the data breach. The programs managed by the RIBridges system include: 

• Medicaid
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)  
• Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)  
• Health coverage purchased through HealthSource RI
• Rhode Island Works (RIW) 
• Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS)  
• General Public Assistance (GPA) Program  
• At HOME Cost Share 

State officials have urged anyone who has applied for benefits through the system since 2016 to change passwords and monitor their bank accounts for suspicious charges. 

The state has set up a website to provide information about the attack and steps customers can take to protect their data. It’s located at cyberalert.ri.gov. 

Data breach: RI computer network hit by major cyberattack, forcing public benefits system shutdown

Deloitte first alerted the state and police about a potential attack on Dec. 5. McKee said the state did not disclose that there could be a problem until the breach could be confirmed and to prevent triggering the release of personal data. 

He said he did not know how much money the hackers demanded, because Deloitte was communicating with them. However, he said he would have the final say on the decision to pay a ransom.