Health Department reports breach of online death registry system

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state Department of Health has reported a breach of an online system connected to death records.

DOH said on Jan. 23, state and federal officials were notified of unauthorized activity in the Electronic Death Registry System (EDRS).

A cybersecurity company detected that an account “was compromised and the login credentials were placed for sale on the dark web.”

An investigation found that about 3,400 death records may have been viewed — records that contain sensitive information, including Social Security numbers.

According to the Health Department, the records could not be altered and no death certificates were accessed.

Officials said the compromised account belonged to a medical certifier at a local hospital who had left employment in June 2021, but whose account had not been deactivated.

The death records had a dates ranging from 1998 to 2023, with 90% occurring in 2014 or earlier, DOH added.

The state said it is in the process of notifying surviving family members about the incident and is urging affected parties to remain vigilant of personal accounts.

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