Hackers claim to have taken Virginians' health data

On April 30, a note was posted on the main page of the Virginia Dept. of Health Drug Monitoring Program's Web site from a hacker or hackers who claimed to have the records of more than 8 million patients and 35 million prescriptions.

The hackers claim the data include names, addresses, and Social Security and driver's license numbers, which will be kept private in exchange for $10 million, or otherwise sold.

At least one group thinks the alleged breach is a hoax. But regardless, the incident could hurt efforts to get drug-monitoring program legislation passed in other states.

Sherry Green, executive director of the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws, which has advised several states that drafted monitoring laws, said she questions whether the data were really stolen but is following the story closely. Also watching, she said, are Missouri and Oregon, which have pending legislation that would create a similar drug-monitoring program, as well as Florida, where legislation recently passed and is awaiting the governor's signature.

If the breach occurred, or is not identified as a hoax before those laws come up for a vote or a signature, the Virginia incident will fuel arguments against the legislation, Green said.

The biggest discrepancy, according to Green, is the number of patients the hackers say they have information on. Referring to 2008 Census numbers, Green pointed out that the state of Virginia doesn't have 8 million people. Additionally, the program does not ask for, nor does it collect, driver's license numbers or Social Security numbers, which the hackers claim to have.

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine says the state won't pay the ransom money. The Virginia Dept. of Health Professions, which runs the program, hasn't confirmed that the data were stolen, only that the Web site was vandalized.

Sandra Whitley Ryals, director of the department, issued a statement confirming that the unauthorized message was posted on the Web site. She also said federal and state officials, including the FBI and the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, were investigating. The statement went on to say that all data were backed up and that those files have been secured.

Thirty-eight states have laws authorizing a monitoring program, and 33 of those states have programs up and running. The American Medical Association took up the issue of drug monitoring programs at its 2008 Annual Meeting and is in support of the programs as a way of assisting physicians in identifying patients in need of help.