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State health officials warn residents of hacked personal data

The Virginian Department of Health Professionals (DHP) is sending out letters to more than half a million adults in the state to advise them that their personal information may have been obtained by hackers, leaving them open to ID theft.

Just last month, it was reported that one or more hackers had gained access to the department's central databases and had contacted the authorities demanding millions of dollars to keep the data private.

Now, with both the FBI and the Virginian state police investigating the data security breach, the department itself is taking the step of warning around 530,000 people that their details could have been jeopardised.

"Although the investigation has yet to determine what, if any, personal information is at risk, DHP nonetheless recommends that persons remain vigilant over the next 12 to 14 months," the organisation's director Sandra Whitley Ryals said.

Alongside names and addresses, the hacked databases contained other personal and medical information, including Social Security numbers, NBC Washington has reported.

The state's database contains over 35 million prescription records, it has also been revealed.

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