Description

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) has confirmed a major data exposure incident affecting nearly 700,000 residents, caused by incorrect privacy settings on an online mapping platform. On September 22, 2025, the agency discovered that internal maps created by the Division of Family and Community Services were publicly accessible for years. These maps, intended solely for internal planning, such as determining office placement and resource allocation, were unintentionally left viewable due to misconfigured privacy controls. As a result, sensitive personal and health-related information tied to Medicaid, Medicare Savings Program recipients, and Rehabilitation Services customers was exposed. The breach occurred because maps uploaded to the site contained identifiable customer information, and the platform’s settings did not restrict public access. Approximately 672,616 residents had addresses, case numbers, demographic data, and medical assistance plan names exposed from January 2022 to September 2025. Another 32,401 individuals within Rehabilitation Services had names, case numbers, referral details, and status information leaked. Although the mapping website cannot determine who accessed the data, and no misuse has been detected, the prolonged public exposure significantly increased the risk of privacy violations and potential targeted fraud. In response, IDHS immediately locked down access to the maps, reviewed all exposed content, and implemented controls to block uploading identifiable data to public platforms. The agency is notifying affected individuals under federal health privacy requirements and has reported the incident to regulators. To prevent similar incidents, organizations must enforce strict data-handling policies, validate privacy settings on all external services, conduct regular access reviews, and provide continuous security training to prevent inadvertent data exposure.