HHS OCR report · 2018
DePaul University data breach
OCR report facts
- Covered entity
- DePaul University
- Entity type
- Health Plan
- State
- Illinois
- Individuals affected
- 656
- Submission date
- Dec 21, 2018
- Type of breach
- Unauthorized Access/Disclosure
- Location of breached information
- Business associate present
- No
- Status
- Archive (closed)
OCR description
On December 14, 2018, a DePaul University employee inadvertently sent an email to participants in its health plan’s wellness program without blind copying the email recipients. This allowed the names of 656 individuals to be visible to other recipients of the email. The covered entity (CE) provided breach notification to HHS, affected individuals, and the media. Following the breach, the CE send an email to recipients requesting that they delete the erroneous email, counseled and educated ...
Text as published on the HHS OCR breach portal.
Frequently asked questions
How many people were affected by the DePaul University data breach?
The report to HHS OCR lists 656 individuals affected.
When was it reported to HHS?
It was submitted to HHS OCR on Dec 21, 2018.
What type of breach was it?
The OCR portal lists the type of breach as Unauthorized Access/Disclosure, with the breached information located in: Email.
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 DePaul University 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 DePaul University.