Deloitte to provide Rhode Island $5M for ransomware recovery
After a ransomware attack on Rhode Island’s health and social services system last December, Gov. Dan McKee announced Tuesday that Deloitte, the state’s vendor for the RIBridge system, will provide $5 million to help pay for recovery expenses.
The attack, which was first discovered on Dec. 5, led to the attackers publishing stolen files on the dark web, including the Social Security numbers, employment details and financial data of Rhode Islanders.
The $5 million from Deloitte will support expenses related to approximately 2,000 HealthSource RI customers who were impacted by the attack and enrolled in coverage for January and February. HealthSource RI, the state’s marketplace for health insurance coverage, was one of several state benefits programs impacted by the attack. It worked with insurance providers to help customers who needed active coverage starting at the beginning of the year enroll directly with Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island.
Deloitte is also covering the cost of a data breach call center, credit monitoring and identity protection for impacted customers, according to the state.
State officials last month announced that Rhode Islanders would soon have their access restored to their accounts through the online portal for benefits and health insurance. Tuesday’s announcement said that while the RIBridges system is undergoing a phased relaunch, customers can access the HealthyRhode portal, submit applications and interact with their accounts.
“Deloitte has recognized that the state has immediate and unexpected expenses related to the breach, and we appreciate their willingness to lend financial support,” McKee said in the news release.
