A contractor for the covered entity (CE) posted software code on an open source online forum without the permission of the CE and inadvertently posted a directory containing the protected health information (PHI) of 550 individuals. The types of PHI involved in the breach included names, addresses, dates of birth, and social security numbers. The CE provided breach notification to HHS, affected individuals, and the media. Following the breach, the CE ensured that the directory was deleted from the forum and terminated its relationship with the contractor. OCR reviewed the CE's risk analysis to ensure compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule.
