Data breach at Young Consulting exposes sensitive data of Blue Shield of California members

Young Consulting LLC, a software company specializing in solutions for the employer stop-loss marketplace, has disclosed a significant data breach affecting Blue Shield of California members. The company filed a notice of the breach with the Attorney General of Maine on August 26, 2024, after discovering that an unauthorized party accessed its IT network, compromising sensitive consumer information.

The breach between April 10, 2024, and April 13, 2024, involved the unauthorized downloading of confidential data files. The affected information includes the names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, insurance policy, and claims details of Blue Shield of California members.

Young Consulting first detected IT issues on April 13, 2024, prompting the company to take its systems offline and launch an investigation with the assistance of external cybersecurity experts. The investigation confirmed unauthorized access to the company’s IT network and the subsequent compromise of sensitive consumer information.

After identifying the scope of the breach, Young Consulting conducted a detailed review of the affected files to determine which consumers were impacted and the specific information that was exposed. This process was completed by June 28, 2024. Following this, on August 26, 2024, the company began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was compromised.

Young Consulting, based in Atlanta, Georgia, provides software solutions such as ESL Office, BenefitConnect, Claim Pointe, and xchange Center, catering to the employer stop-loss market. With over 70 employees and an annual revenue of approximately $11 million, the company serves a critical role in the insurance technology sector.

As the investigation continues, further details about the breach and its implications are expected to emerge, shedding more light on the extent of the data compromise and the measures Young Consulting took to prevent future incidents.