• On The Insider: Britney's Bikini-Clad Top 10
November 12, 2008 1:53 PM PST

Express Scripts clients threatened with extortion

by Robert Vamosi
  • Font size
  • Print
  • 1 comment

One week after a breached corporate health care company refused to pay extortionists, the criminals now are seeking money from the corporate clients whose employee data might have been exposed.

St. Louis-based Express Scripts said on Tuesday that a limited number of its clients--which include government agencies, unions, and employers--have received letters threatening to expose the personal information of its members. The company said the letters sent to its clients were similar to the original extortion threat it received in October.

The company also said it was establishing a reward totaling $1 million to anyone providing information that results in the arrest and conviction of the criminals responsible.

"We are cooperating fully with the FBI to assist them in their investigation and doing what we can to protect our members," said George Paz, CEO and chairman of Express Scripts, in a statement on the company's site.

In a separate announcement, Express Scripts announced that Knoll, a New York-based risk-consulting firm, has been contracted to offer expert assistance to members who become victims of identity fraud as a result of this incident.

As CNET's resident security expert, Robert Vamosi has been interviewed on the BBC, CNN, MSNBC, and other outlets to share his knowledge about the latest online threats and to offer advice on personal and corporate security. Listen to his podcast at securitybites.cnet.com or e-mail Robert with your questions and comments.
advertisement
Click Here
Recent posts from Security
Microsoft warns of IE exploit code in the wild
Chrome OS security: 'Sandboxing' and auto updates
E-tailers snagged in marketing 'scam' blame customers
McAfee warns about '12 Scams of Christmas'
Cisco launches iPhone security app
Town to photograph every car that enters and leaves
New Firefox 3.6 beta aims to cut crashes
Facebook adopts new privacy policy
Add a Comment (Log in or register)
advertisement

Let the battle for holiday gadget shoppers begin

Retailers try different strategies for competing with behemoths like Amazon and Wal-Mart in the cutthroat competition to lure those giving electronics as gifts.

Firefox hopes to one-up IE with fast graphics

Windows 7 features called Direct2D and DirectWrite will speed up Internet Explorer 9 performance. But Firefox hopes it might retool for the same benefit first.

About Security

Online security is threatened by more than hacking and phishing attempts. Check here for the latest updates on software vulnerabilities, data leaks, and rapidly spreading viruses--and learn how to protect your systems.

Add this feed to your online news reader

Security topics

advertisement
advertisement

Inside CNET News

Scroll Left Scroll Right