Kroger Postal Prescription Services (Kroger PPS) has reported a data breach to the US Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (HHS-OCR) on March 15, 2023, after unauthorized access to confidential consumer information in the company’s possession.
While the HHS-OCR listing does not specify the data types that were leaked, it is believed that the breach affected protected health information of consumers.
After confirming that consumer data was leaked, Kroger PPS began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals who were affected by the breach.
Healthcare-related data breaches have been on the rise in recent years, with hackers being able to obtain sensitive information that can be used for fraudulent activities or sold to other criminals.
Additionally, consumers who have received a data breach notification from Kroger PPS are advised to take action to protect themselves from fraud or identity theft.
The recent piece on the topic can provide information about how to safeguard from becoming a victim and what legal options are available in the aftermath of the data breach.
Currently, limited information is available regarding the Kroger PPS data breach, as the company’s filing with the HHS-OCR is the primary source of information.
It is known that the incident involved unauthorized access and disclosure of data stored on the company’s network server.
Furthermore, the company began reviewing the affected files to determine what information was compromised and which consumers were affected upon discovering that sensitive consumer data was accessed without authorization. HHS-OCR reports that the data breach affected the information of 82,466 individuals.
Kroger is a grocery retailer that was founded in 1883 and is based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The company operates over 2,700 grocery stores in 35 states and Washington, D.C., under various names, including Kroger, Food 4 Less, Harris Teeter, and Fry’s Food and Drug.
Finally, the Postal Prescription Services division is responsible for mail-order prescriptions. With over 500,000 employees, Kroger is one of the largest retailers in the United States.