Important

Information about Cybersecurity Issue Affecting Patient Data.   For U.S. Patients   |  For Non-U.S. Patients

Cybersecurity Notice

Notice

Reference Guide

FAQs

NOTICE ABOUT U.S. PATIENT INFORMATION

April 25, 2024

To U.S. Patients,

LivaNova experienced a cybersecurity incident that occurred around October 26, 2023, which we discovered on November 19, 2023. The incident resulted in a disruption to portions of our IT systems. Promptly after detecting the issue, we began an investigation with assistance from external cybersecurity experts and coordinated with law enforcement. We took action to remediate the issue, such as taking certain systems offline.  

On April 10, 2024, we learned that an unauthorized party obtained certain identifiable personal information of U.S. patients. While we continue to analyze the nature and scope of the affected information, we are aware that the information, which varied by impacted individual, included data such as name, contact information (e.g., phone number, email and postal address), Social Security number, date of birth, medical information (e.g., treatment, condition, diagnosis, prescription, physician, medical record number and device serial number), and health insurance information.

We are alerting affected U.S. patients about this issue so they can take steps to help protect their information. Affected patients in the U.S. are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies. U.S. residents can order a free credit report by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com or calling toll-free at 1-877-322-8228.  

We encourage affected patients in the U.S. to remain vigilant for incidents of fraud and identity theft by reviewing their account statements and monitoring their free credit reports. We also recommend remaining alert for unsolicited communications involving personal information. The Reference Guide provides information on recommendations by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission on the protection of personal information.

For U.S. patients who were affected by this issue, we have arranged to provide identity protection and credit monitoring services at no cost to them. If you believe you were affected and would like to register for these services, please see the instructions in the Reference Guide.

We regret any concern this issue may cause. Affected U.S. patients who have questions or would like additional information about this issue can contact (833) 931-5100 toll-free, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT (excluding major U.S. holidays). Please reference engagement number B121304 when calling. 

Sincerely,

Vladimir Makatsaria
Chief Executive Officer

Reference Guide

We encourage affected U.S. patients to take the following steps:

Register for Identity Protection and Credit Monitoring Services. We have arranged with Experian to help affected U.S. patients protect their identity and credit information for two years. This complimentary offer is available for two years from the date of enrollment. 

To enroll in these services, please follow the steps below: 

1.    Enroll by: August 30, 2024
2.    Visit the Experian IdentityWorks website to enroll: https://www.experianidworks.com/credit
3.    Provide the activation code: JNRW252XRT  

For questions about Experian or IdentityWorks, or for an alternative to enrolling in IdentityWorks online, please contact Experian’s customer care team at (833) 931-5100. The engagement number, which is B121304, may be requested as proof of eligibility for this service. Additional information, terms of this service, self-help tips, and information about identity protection are located at www.experianidworks.com/restoration.  

Order Your Free Credit Report. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com, call toll-free at 1-877-322-8228, or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form on the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC’s”) website at www.consumer.ftc.gov and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. The three nationwide consumer reporting agencies provide free annual credit reports only through the website, toll-free number or request form. 

When you receive your credit report, review it carefully. Look for accounts you did not open. Look in the “inquiries” section for names of creditors from whom you haven’t requested credit. Some companies bill under names other than their store or commercial names. The consumer reporting agency will be able to tell you when that is the case. Look in the “personal information” section for any inaccuracies in your information (such as home address and Social Security number). If you see anything you do not understand, call the consumer reporting agency at the telephone number on the report. Errors in this information may be a warning sign of possible identity theft. You should notify the consumer reporting agencies of any inaccuracies in your report, whether due to error or fraud, as soon as possible so the information can be investigated and, if found to be in error, corrected. If there are accounts or charges you did not authorize, immediately notify the appropriate consumer reporting agency by telephone and in writing. Consumer reporting agency staff will review your report with you. If the information cannot be explained, then you will need to call the creditors involved. Information that cannot be explained also should be reported to your local police or sheriff’s office because it may signal criminal activity.

Report Incidents. If you detect any unauthorized transactions in a financial account, promptly notify your payment card company or financial institution. If you are in the U.S. and detect any incident of identity theft or fraud, promptly report the incident to law enforcement, the FTC and your state Attorney General. If you believe your identity has been stolen, the FTC recommends that you take these steps:

  • Close the accounts that you have confirmed or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. For more information, please visit https://www.identitytheft.gov/.
  • File a local police report. Obtain a copy of the police report and submit it to your creditors and any others that may require proof of the identity theft crime.

You can contact the FTC to learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft and how to repair identity theft:

Federal Trade Commission 
Consumer Response Center 
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 
Washington, DC 20580 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338) 
www.ftc.gov/idtheft/

Consider Placing a Fraud Alert on Your Credit File. To protect yourself from possible identity theft, consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file. A fraud alert helps protect you against the possibility of an identity thief opening new credit accounts in your name. When a merchant checks the credit history of someone applying for credit, the merchant gets a notice that the applicant may be the victim of identity theft. The alert notifies the merchant to take steps to verify the identity of the applicant. You can place a fraud alert on your credit report by calling any one of the toll-free numbers provided below. You will reach an automated telephone system that allows you to flag your file with a fraud alert at all three consumer reporting agencies. For more information on fraud alerts, you also may contact the FTC as described above.

Equifax
Equifax Information Services LLC
P.O. Box 105069 
Atlanta, GA 30348-5069
1-800-525-6285
www.equifax.com

Experian
Experian Inc.
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
1-888-397-3742
      www.experian.com      

TransUnion
TransUnion LLC
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
1-800-680-7289
    www.transunion.com    

Consider Placing a Security Freeze on Your Credit File. You may wish to place a “security freeze” (also known as a “credit freeze”) on your credit file. A security freeze is designed to prevent potential creditors from accessing your credit file at the consumer reporting agencies without your consent. Unlike a fraud alert, you must place a security freeze on your credit file at each consumer reporting agency individually. There is no charge to place or lift a security freeze. For more information on security freezes, you may contact the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies or the FTC as described above. As the instructions for establishing a security freeze differ from state to state, please contact the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies to find out more information.

The consumer reporting agencies may require proper identification prior to honoring your request. For example, you may be asked to provide:

  • Your full name with middle initial and generation (such as Jr., Sr., II, III)
  • Your Social Security number
  • Your date of birth
  • Addresses where you have lived over the past five years
  • A legible copy of a government-issued identification card (such as a state driver’s license or military ID card)
  • Proof of your current residential address (such as a current utility bill or account statement)

For North Carolina Residents. You can obtain information from the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office about preventing identity theft. You can contact the North Carolina Attorney General at:

North Carolina Attorney General’s Office
9001 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001
(877) 566-7226 (toll-free in North Carolina)
(919) 716-6400
www.ncdoj.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What happened?

LivaNova experienced a cybersecurity incident that occurred around October 26, 2023, which we discovered on November 19, 2023. The incident resulted in a disruption to portions of our IT systems. On April 10, 2024, we learned that an unauthorized party obtained certain identifiable personal information of U.S. patients.   

2. What did LivaNova do when it discovered the incident?

Promptly after detecting the issue, we began an investigation with assistance from external cybersecurity experts and coordinated with law enforcement. We took action to remediate the issue, such as taking certain systems offline. We take the protection of personal information very seriously and continue to enhance our security safeguards.

3. What U.S. patient information has been affected?

While we continue to analyze the nature and scope of the affected information, we are aware that the information, which varied by impacted individual, included data such as name, contact information (e.g., phone number, email and postal address), Social Security number, date of birth, medical information (e.g., treatment, condition, diagnosis, prescription, physician, medical record number and device serial number), and health insurance information.

4. What is LivaNova doing to help affected U.S. patients?

Our notice regarding this issue provides information affected U.S. patients can use to help protect their information. For affected patients in the U.S., you are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies. U.S. residents can order a free credit report by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com or calling toll-free at 1-877-322-8228. Please refer to the Reference Guide for more information.

In addition, we have arranged to provide affected U.S. patients with identity protection and credit monitoring services at no cost to them. Please see the Reference Guide for instructions on how to enroll.

Affected U.S. patients who have questions or would like additional information about this issue can contact (833) 931-5100 toll-free, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT (excluding major U.S. holidays). Please reference engagement number B121304 when calling.