Readers React: Anthem’s response to breach doesn’t inspire confidence

To the editor: So insurance company Anthem Inc. — which spent more than $12 million last election to persuade California voters to protect the company’s outlandish premium increases — doesn’t have funds to invest in adequate security for 80 million customers and employees? Even after paying $1.7 million to resolve an information breach affecting 600,000 customers? (“Anthem hack raises fears about medical data,” Feb. 5)

And my personal favorite? I will be notified how to protect my jeopardized personal data — by snail mail. Way to go guys, you’re fast approaching the 20th century.

Janice Hickey, San Diego

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To the editor: On the website created by Anthem for all of the victims of cyber theft, Chief Executive Joseph R. Swedish writes: “We have state-of-the-art information security systems to protect your data. However, despite our efforts, Anthem was the target of a very sophisticated external cyber attack.”

The Times reported that all the “very sophisticated” hackers probably had to do was dupe an Anthem employee with a fraudulent e-mail in order to access an incredible amount of information.

This is state of the art? This is what “Joe” (as the CEO signs the letter, as if he is a buddy of mine) gets paid millions for every year? The stolen information wasn’t even encrypted, so Swedish’s letter is a farce.

Like many other for-profit corporations, Anthem just doesn’t want to spend the money to really be state of the art.

Joel Anderson, Studio City

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