More than 3,700 individuals may have had their personal information exposed as a result of a data breach at the UNC School of Medicine.

The university announced the breach on Tuesday, following a “lengthy and extensive review conducted by a leading independent forensic firm” found that “an unauthorized third party gained access to several email accounts” from May 17, 2018 to June 18, 2018. The access was gained through a cyber phishing incident, officials said. Phishing occurs when a third party attempts to retrieve sensitive information by imitating a trusted source.

A release from the UNC School of Medicine said the information exposed “may have included patients’ names, dates of birth, demographic data such as addresses, health insurance information, health information, Social Security numbers, financial account information and credit card information.”

Medical records or patient care systems maintained by UNC Health Care were not affected by the breach, according to Tuesday’s release.

UNC began mailing notification letters on Tuesday to patients whose information was in the affected accounts, although “we have no indication that any information has been misused.”

UNC is offering credit monitoring and identity protection services to those individuals who may have had their Social Security number exposed.

“We recommend affected patients review the statements they receive from their health care providers and health insurer. If a patient sees services they did not receive, please contact the provider or insurer immediately.”

Officials said the medical school “takes its obligation to protect patient privacy very seriously and we are sorry that this incident occurred.”

Anyone who believes they might be affected but does not receive a letter before December 15 is asked to call 1-833-935-1367 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Related Stories
‹
Retired UNC Professor Goes Missing During Swimming Competition
Race organizers issued a statement from the family of van der Horst: “The family of Charles Van Der Horst of Chapel Hill, NC is deeply saddened to confirm the loss of our beloved Charlie. He was participating in several stages of the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim when he went under at the finish […]
Durham Tech Partners With UNC to Launch New Anesthesia Technology Program
Durham Tech is partnering with the UNC School of Medicine and UNC Health Care to launch a new Anesthesia Technology program. It will be the only one of its kind in the state, and is expected be part of the 11 approved programs across the country. “We’re very excited about this collaboration,” said Durham Tech […]
Bond Proposal Could Bring New School of Medicine Facility to UNC
The UNC School of Medicine is introducing new curriculum and could be moving into a new facility. This was part of a presentation from Dr. Julie Byerley, vice dean for education and chief education officer at the school. She laid out curriculum changes to the Board of Trustees at its meeting on Thursday. Byerley said […]
Accidental Alarm Registration; "Better Back Care"; August Pet Adoption
If you're in Chapel Hill and you haven't registered your alarm yet, now is the time to do it.
Officials Probing Data Breach At UNC-Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is investigating a personal information data breach that affects more than 6,000 people.
UNC's Caleb Wilson Declares for 2026 NBA Draft
UNC star freshman Caleb Wilson will forgo his remaining college eligibility and enter the 2026 NBA Draft, he announced on social media Friday night. Wilson’s announcement comes less than a week after the university dismissed Hubert Davis as the head coach of the men’s basketball program. View this post on Instagram Wilson finished his freshman […]
UNC Women's Basketball Falls to No. 1 UConn in NCAA Sweet 16
UNC could not generate enough offense to run with No. 1 UConn in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 in Fort Worth, TX Friday evening, falling to the undefeated Huskies 63-42. The Tar Heels’ season is over in the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year. The Tar Heels struggled against a suffocating UConn defense all […]
Lloyd, May or Donovan? Pros and Cons of 3 Candidates for the UNC Men's Basketball Head Coaching Job
As UNC continues to search for its next men’s basketball head coach, three names which have been floated as prime candidates for the job are Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd, Michigan head coach Dusty May and Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan. All three men have had ringing success on the college stage, but there […]
Chansky's Notebook: The Pool
Written by MICHAEL KOH Bubba Cunningham and UNC are confident they’ll have their pick of the litter for a new men’s basketball coach. Cunningham and incoming athletic director Steve Newmark appeared on a special edition of the “Carolina Insider Podcast” earlier this week, and both detailed the decision making which led to Hubert Davis’ exit. […]
UNC Women's Basketball in the 2026 NCAA Tournament: How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Times
Carolina will compete in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season. The Tar Heels will face No. 1 overall seed and defending champion UConn in Fort Worth, TX Friday. If you aren’t attending the game in person, here’s how you can follow along at home: Broadcast Schedule Those hoping to […]
›