Quest says 34,000 customer accounts hacked

Company says it has notified affected clients

NEW YORK – Medical laboratory operator Quest Diagnostics Inc. said a hack of an internet application on its network has exposed the personal health information of about 34,000 people.

The Madison, New Jersey-based company said "an unauthorized third party" gained access on Nov. 26 to customer information including names, dates of birth, lab results and, in some instances, telephone numbers. The stolen data did not include Social Security numbers, credit card accounts, insurance details or any other financial information.

Customers at lab locations across Central Florida reacted Tuesday to the data breach.

"I would feel very violated," Orlando resident Rob Anderson said.  "It's certainly concerning to know they can be breached that way, absolutely."

A spokesperson for Quest said more than 10,000 customers affected by the breach live in Florida, but it's unknown how many are from the Central Florida area.

"Certainly if this has happened, they need to put something in place to make sure that everyone is safe and their information is safe and this doesn't happen again," Anderson said.

Quest said Monday it is working with a cybersecurity firm and law enforcement to investigate the breach, while taking steps to prevent similar incidents.

The company, which has labs in Florida, said it has notified affected clients by mail and has set up a dedicated number to field questions regarding the breach at 888-320-9970.


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