A Long Time in the Dark: Illinois' Data Leak

A big mistake happened in Illinois. The Department of Human Services accidentally put private health info on a public website. This wasn't a quick slip-up. It stayed there for over three years before anyone noticed. The data belonged to hundreds of thousands of people. Some were getting help for disabilities. Others were part of programs like Medicaid and Medicare. The info included names, addresses, and case details. It was supposed to be for internal use only. But because of wrong privacy settings, anyone could see it.The agency found out about the problem in September 2025. They fixed the settings right away. But they didn't tell the public for over three months. That's way longer than the 60 days required by federal rules. Why did it take so long to notice the leak? And why the delay in telling everyone? The agency didn't give clear answers. They just said they're sorry and will do better. This isn't just about broken rules. It's about trust. People rely on these programs for help. They expect their info to be safe. When something like this happens, it's a big deal.