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Nearly 1 million Medicare beneficiaries face data breach

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Nearly 1 million Medicare beneficiaries face data breach

Nearly 1 million Medicare beneficiaries have recently learned that their personal information may have been compromised in a data breach last year. This incident comes on the heels of another incident and highlights the ongoing challenges in protecting sensitive health care data and the importance of staying vigilant about your personal information.

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A total of 946,801 Medicare beneficiaries may have had their personal data exposed due to a security vulnerability. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The breach: What happened?

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is notifying 946,801 Medicare beneficiaries that their personal data may have been exposed due to a security vulnerability in the MOVEit file transfer software used by Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corp., a CMS contractor.

On July 8, 2024, Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS) Insurance Corp. informed CMS about a cybersecurity incident involving MOVEit, a file transfer software. This incident compromised files containing protected health information, including Medicare claims data and other personally identifiable information.

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The vulnerability in the MOVEit software allowed unauthorized access to personal information between May 27 and May 31, 2023. Progress Software, the developer of MOVEit, discovered and publicly disclosed this vulnerability on May 31, 2023, promptly releasing a software patch to address the issue.

WPS immediately applied the patch and conducted an initial investigation, which did not reveal any evidence of unauthorized file access at that time. However, in May 2024, new information prompted WPS to conduct a more thorough review with the assistance of a third-party cybersecurity firm. This review confirmed that while the vulnerability was successfully patched in early June 2023, an unauthorized third party had copied files from WPS’s MOVEit system before the patch was applied.

In coordination with law enforcement, WPS evaluated the impacted files. Initially, the examined portion did not contain personal information. However, on July 8, 2024, WPS discovered that some files in a different portion did contain personal information, leading to the immediate notification of CMS.

As of now, CMS and WPS are not aware of any reports of identity fraud or misuse of personal information resulting directly from this incident. Nevertheless, they are taking proactive measures to notify potentially affected individuals and provide resources to help protect their personal information.

It’s important to note that this incident does not affect current Medicare benefits or coverage.

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The data breach does not affect Medicare benefits or coverage. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What information was exposed?

The compromised data potentially includes:

  • Names
  • Addresses
  • Birth dates
  • Social Security numbers
  • Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs)
  • Hospital account numbers
  • Dates of services

Steps being taken by CMS

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corp. are taking comprehensive measures to address the data breach and protect affected beneficiaries. They have initiated a process of mailing written notifications to all individuals whose information may have been compromised. These notifications provide detailed information about the breach and offer guidance on protective steps.

In addition to the notifications, CMS and its contractor are offering affected beneficiaries complimentary credit monitoring services for a period of 12 months. This service will help individuals monitor their credit reports for any suspicious activity that could indicate identity theft or fraud.

Furthermore, CMS is taking the proactive step of issuing new Medicare cards to beneficiaries whose Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs) were potentially exposed in the breach. These new cards will contain updated MBIs, effectively invalidating the compromised numbers and adding an extra layer of security to beneficiaries’ accounts.

To ensure transparency and provide clear guidance, WPS has prepared a comprehensive letter that is being sent to all potentially affected individuals. This letter outlines the nature of the breach, the specific information that may have been compromised, and it details instructions on how to utilize the offered protection services. It also includes contact information for further assistance and answers to frequently asked questions, helping beneficiaries navigate this challenging situation with as much support as possible.

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We reached out to CMS for a comment on this article, and a rep provided this statement: “We take the privacy and security of your Medicare information very seriously. CMS and WPS apologize for the inconvenience this incident might have caused you.”

A person holding an elderly person’s hand (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

HACKED, SCAMMED, EXPOSED: WHY YOU’RE ONE STEP AWAY FROM DISASTER ONLINE

What you should do

If you’re a Medicare beneficiary, here are some steps you can take to protect yourself:

1) Watch for official communication: CMS will send letters to affected individuals. Be cautious of unsolicited calls or emails claiming to be from Medicare.

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2) Monitor your credit: Take advantage of the free credit monitoring services offered if you receive a notification letter.

3) Review your Medicare summary notices: Check for any unfamiliar charges or services.

4) Be alert for scams: Beware of anyone contacting you about needing a new Medicare card. This is likely a scam.

5) Contact Medicare directly: If you’re concerned, call 1-800-MEDICARE to ask if your account was involved in any data breaches.

6) Report suspicious activity: If you suspect fraud, contact your state’s Senior Medicare Patrol for guidance.

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7) Be cautious with digital communications: Don’t click on any links or download attachments in unsolicited emails, texts or social media messages claiming to be from Medicare or related to the data breach. These could be phishing attempts to gather more of your personal information. The best way to protect yourself from clicking malicious links is to have antivirus protection installed on all your devices. This can also alert you of any phishing emails or ransomware scams. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

8) Use an identity theft protection service: Identity theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security Number, phone number and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.

9) Consider using a data removal service: Given that Medicare beneficiary information may be exposed online due to data breaches, consider using a reputable data removal service. These services can help reduce your digital footprint by removing your personal information from various online databases and people-search websites. This can make it more difficult for scammers to find and misuse your information. However, be cautious when selecting such a service and ensure it’s legitimate, as some scammers may pose as data removal services to collect more of your personal information. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.

Protecting your Medicare information

To safeguard your Medicare data in the future. Never share your Medicare number with unsolicited callers or emailers. Be cautious about giving personal information over the phone or online. Regularly review your Medicare statements for any unusual activity. Keep your Medicare card in a safe place, just like you would a credit card.

PHARMA GIANT’S DATA BREACH EXPOSES PATIENTS’ SENSITIVE INFORMATION

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Kurt’s key takeaways

While data breaches are unfortunately becoming more common, staying informed and taking proactive steps can help mitigate potential risks. Remember, Medicare will never call you unsolicited to ask for personal information or to issue a new card. If you’re ever in doubt, hang up and call Medicare directly using the official number on your card or the Medicare website. By staying vigilant and following these guidelines, you can help protect your personal and health care information from potential misuse.

Given the increasing frequency and scale of data breaches in the health care sector, what additional measures do you think Medicare and its affiliated organizations should implement to better protect beneficiaries’ personal information and prevent future security incidents? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

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Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

Amazon has slowly been teasing out casting details for its live-action adaptation of God of War, and now we have our first look at the show. It’s a single image but a notable one showing protagonist Kratos and his son Atreus. The characters are played by Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson, respectively, and they look relatively close to their video game counterparts.

There aren’t a lot of other details about the show just yet, but this is Amazon’s official description:

The God of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.

That sounds a lot like the recent soft reboot of the franchise, which started with 2018’s God of War and continued through Ragnarök in 2022. For the Amazon series, Ronald D. Moore, best-known for his work on For All Mankind and Battlestar Galactica, will serve as showrunner. The rest of the cast includes: Mandy Patinkin (Odin), Ed Skrein (Baldur), Max Parker (Heimdall), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Thor), Teresa Palmer (Sif), Alastair Duncan (Mimir), Jeff Gulka (Sindri), and Danny Woodburn (Brok).

While production is underway on the God of War series, there’s no word on when it might start streaming.

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

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Your web browser may feel like a safe place, especially when you install helpful tools that promise to make your life easier. But security researchers have uncovered a dangerous campaign in which more than 300,000 people installed Chrome extensions pretending to be artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. Instead of helping, these fake tools secretly collect sensitive information like your emails, passwords and browsing activity.

They used familiar names like ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Assistant. If you use Chrome and have installed any AI-related extension, your personal information may already be exposed. Even worse, some of these malicious extensions are still available today, putting more people at risk without their knowing.

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More than 300,000 Chrome users installed fake AI extensions that secretly harvested sensitive data. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What you need to know about fake AI extensions

Security researchers at browser security company LayerX discovered a large campaign involving 30 malicious Chrome extensions disguised as AI-powered assistants (via BleepingComputer). Together, these extensions were installed more than 300,000 times by unsuspecting users.

Some of the most popular extensions included names like AI Sidebar with 70,000 users, AI Assistant with 60,000 users, ChatGPT Translate with 30,000 users, and Google Gemini with 10,000 users. Another extension called Gemini AI Sidebar had 80,000 users before it was removed.

These extensions were distributed through the official Chrome Web Store, which made them appear legitimate and trustworthy. Even more concerning, researchers found that many of these extensions were connected to the same malicious server, showing they were part of a coordinated effort.

While some extensions have since been removed, others remain available. This means new users could still unknowingly install them and expose their personal data. Here’s the list of the affected extensions:

  • AI Assistant
  • Llama
  • Gemini AI Sidebar
  • AI Sidebar
  • ChatGPT Sidebar
  • Grok
  • Asking ChatGPT
  • ChatGBT
  • Chat Bot GPT
  • Grok Chatbot
  • Chat With Gemini
  • XAI
  • Google Gemini
  • Ask Gemini
  • AI Letter Generator
  • AI Message Generator
  • AI Translator
  • AI For Translation
  • AI Cover Letter Generator
  • AI Image Generator ChatGPT
  • Ai Wallpaper Generator
  • Ai Picture Generator
  • DeepSeek Download
  • AI Email Writer
  • Email Generator AI
  • DeepSeek Chat
  • ChatGPT Picture Generator
  • ChatGPT Translate
  • AI GPT
  • ChatGPT Translation
  • ChatGPT for Gmail

FAKE AI CHAT RESULTS ARE SPREADING DANGEROUS MAC MALWARE

These malicious tools were listed in the official Chrome Web Store, making them appear legitimate and trustworthy. (LayerX)

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How the fake AI Chrome extension attack works

These fake extensions pretend to offer helpful AI features, such as translating text, summarizing emails, or acting as an AI assistant. But behind the scenes, they quietly monitor what you are doing online.

Once installed, the extension gains permission to view and interact with the websites you visit. This allows it to read the contents of web pages, including login screens where you enter your username and password.

In some cases, the extensions specifically targeted Gmail. They could read your email messages directly from your browser, including emails you received and even drafts you were still writing. This means attackers could access private conversations, financial information and sensitive personal details.

The extensions then sent this information to servers controlled by the attackers. Because they loaded content remotely, the attackers could change their behavior at any time without needing to update the extension.

Some versions could also activate voice features through your browser. This could potentially capture spoken conversations near your device and send transcripts back to the attackers.

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If you installed one of these extensions, attackers may already have access to extremely sensitive information. This includes your email content, login credentials, browsing habits and possibly even voice recordings.

We reached out to Google for comment, and a spokesperson told CyberGuy that the company “can confirm that the extensions from this report have all been removed from the Google Web Store.”

BROWSER EXTENSION MALWARE INFECTED 8.8M USERS IN DARKSPECTRE ATTACK

Once installed, the extensions could read emails, capture passwords, monitor browsing activity and send the data to attacker-controlled servers. (Bildquelle/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

7 ways you can protect yourself from malicious Chrome extensions

If you have ever installed an AI-related Chrome extension, taking a few simple precautions now can help protect your accounts and prevent further damage.

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1) Remove any suspicious or unused browser extensions

On a Windows PC or Mac, open Chrome and type chrome://extensions into the address bar. Review every extension listed. If you see anything unfamiliar, especially AI assistants you don’t remember installing, click “Remove” immediately. Malicious extensions depend on going unnoticed. Removing them stops further data collection and cuts off the attacker’s access to your information.

2) Change your passwords

If you installed any suspicious extension, assume your passwords may be compromised. Start by changing your email password first, since email controls access to most other accounts. Then update passwords for banking, shopping and social media accounts. This prevents attackers from using stolen credentials to break into your accounts.

3) Use a password manager to create and protect strong passwords

A password manager generates unique, complex passwords for each account and stores them securely. This prevents attackers from accessing multiple accounts if one password is stolen. Password managers also alert you if your login credentials appear in known data breaches, helping you respond quickly and protect your identity. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

4) Install strong antivirus software and keep it active

Good antivirus software can detect malicious browser extensions, spyware, and other hidden threats. It scans your system for suspicious activity and blocks harmful programs before they can steal your information. This adds an important layer of protection that works continuously in the background to keep your device safe. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

5) Use an identity theft protection service

Identity theft protection services monitor your personal data, including email addresses, financial accounts, and Social Security numbers, for signs of misuse. If criminals try to open accounts or commit fraud using your information, you receive alerts quickly. Early detection allows you to act fast and limit financial and personal damage. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.

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6) Keep your browser and computer fully updated

Software updates fix security vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. Enable automatic updates for Chrome and your operating system so you always have the latest protections. These updates strengthen your defenses against malicious extensions and prevent attackers from taking advantage of known weaknesses.

7) Use a personal data removal service

Personal data removal services scan data broker websites that collect and sell your personal information. They help remove your data from these sites, reducing what attackers can find and use against you. Less exposed information means fewer opportunities for criminals to target you with scams, identity theft or phishing attacks.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaway

Even tools designed to make your life easier can become tools for cybercriminals. Malicious extensions often hide behind trusted names and convincing features, making them difficult to spot. You can significantly reduce your risk by reviewing your browser extensions regularly, removing anything suspicious and using protective tools like password managers and strong antivirus software.

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Have you checked your browser extensions recently? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

Less than 24 hours before the deadline in an ultimatum issued by the Pentagon, Anthropic has refused the Department of Defense’s demands for unrestricted access to its AI.

It’s the culmination of a dramatic exchange of public statements, social media posts, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, coming down to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s desire to renegotiate all AI labs’ current contracts with the military. But Anthropic, so far, has refused to back down from its two current red lines: no mass surveillance of Americans, and no lethal autonomous weapons (or weapons with license to kill targets with no human oversight whatsoever). OpenAI and xAI had reportedly already agreed to the new terms, while Anthropic’s refusal had led to CEO Dario Amodei being summoned to the White House this week for a meeting with Hegseth himself, in which the Secretary reportedly issued an ultimatum to the CEO to back down by the end of business day on Friday or else.

In a statement late Thursday, Amodei wrote, “I believe deeply in the existential importance of using AI to defend the United States and other democracies, and to defeat our autocratic adversaries. Anthropic has therefore worked proactively to deploy our models to the Department of War and the intelligence community.”

He added that the company has “never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner” but that in a “narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values” — going on to specifically mention mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. (Amodei mentioned that “partial autonomous weapons … are vital to the defense of democracy” and that fully autonomous weapons may eventually “prove critical for our national defense,” but that “today, frontier AI systems are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons.” He did not rule out Anthropic acquiescing to the military’s use of fully autonomous weapons in the future but mentioned that they were not ready now.)

The Pentagon had already reportedly asked major defense contractors to assess their dependence on Anthropic’s Claude, which could be seen as the first step to designating the company a “supply chain risk” – a public threat that the Pentagon had made recently (and a classification usually reserved for threats to national security). The Pentagon was also reportedly considering invoking the Defense Production Act to make Anthropic comply.

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Amodei wrote in his statement that the Pentagon’s “threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.” He also wrote that “should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions. Our models will be available on the expansive terms we have proposed for as long as required.”

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