HHS OCR report · 2013
City of Chicago data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- City of Chicago
- Entity type
- Healthcare Provider
- State
- Illinois
- Individuals affected
- 2,080
- Submission date
- Nov 29, 2013
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Network Server
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
The covered entity (CE) mistakenly permitted protected health information (PHI) to be viewable on the Internet when users uploaded files without changing the default permission settings for the folders containing the files. As a result, Google was able to detect and cache the PHI in the uploaded folders. Approximately 2,080 individuals were affected by this breach. The types of PHI involved in the breach included students’ names, birthdates, genders, identification numbers, vision exam date...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the City of Chicago data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 2,080 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Nov 29, 2013.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Unauthorized Access/Disclosure, with the breached information located in: Network Server.
Is the investigation still open?
No. The report is in the OCR portal archive, which holds reports where OCR has closed its review.
Is a breach notice letter from City of Chicago legitimate?
This site cannot verify letters. Check the sender against the organisation's official website and the HHS OCR breach portal, and avoid calling numbers or clicking links only listed in an unexpected message. See our guide on what to do after a data breach notice.
Source: HHS OCR Breach Portal, OCR export October 2026. Network USA is not affiliated with HHS or City of Chicago.