The Multnomah County Department of County Human Services reported Tuesday that a security breach may have affected 713 people in its Aging, Disability and Veterans Services department.
The breach occurred May 28, when a county staff member was fired, but briefly continued to have access to client records until their account was terminated later that same day.
Officials discovered the breach on May 31 and launched an investigation June 3, the next business day.
On June 10, the county also notified Gresham police of the former employee’s activity. The county is cooperating with that police investigation.
The former county employee accessed the names and Social Security numbers of 40 Aging, Disability and Veterans Services clients, according to a news release.
The former employee also accessed the names and Oregon Department of Human Services identification numbers for 673 other clients.
No other identifying information, such as medical or financial information, was accessed, the county said.
“The county has completed a thorough investigation of this breach and, as a result, is updating and improving its procedures to ensure an event like this does not happen again,” a county press release said. “The county is also reviewing county-wide and department-level policies to increase protection of personal information in response to this incident.”
Clients affected by the breach are being notified by letters this week. People whose Social Security numbers were accessed will be given information on how to get free credit monitoring.