Next steps for Lurie data breach vicitms

Between the lines: Lurie says stolen data varies by individual. Some people had health data stolen; others had sensitive financial information exposed, too.

• In a statement, officials attributed the lag between the breach and the notifications to "the complexity of the attack as well as our infrastructure."

What to do: Lurie patients or their guardians can get more specific information about their compromised data by calling 888-401-0575. Most patients, those who are no longer minors, must make the call themselves.

• Affected patients may be advised to take a range of actions from requesting credit reports and checking credit card statements to placing freezes and fraud alerts on accounts.

How it works: Consumers should contact all three credit bureaus to request freezes and alerts.

• You can also walk through the process at the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft site.

Threat level: Cybercriminals have targeted at least two other hospital systems in metro Chicago this year, part of a trend that can cripple health systems.

What's next: Lurie is offering all affected patients two years of free identity restoration assistance through Experian Identity Works.

• Links and activation codes are provided in the letters sent this month and must be activated by Oct. 5.