Ransomware Attack Shuts Down Healthcare Provider

Recently, healthcare provider Wood Ranch Medical’s computer system was breached by a ransomware attack. The ransomware attack resulted in the encryption of approximately 6,000 patients’ protected health information (PHI). Wood Ranch Medical (WRM) has been unable to restore patients’ healthcare records.  Encryption takes your data or written text/PHI and turns it into unreadable text using software or algorithms. This unreadable text can only be deciphered through an decryption key [...]

2022-05-06T14:04:12-04:00October 9th, 2019|
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September Healthcare Breaches Affected 1,928,433 Individuals

September healthcare breaches reported to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) affected 1,928,433 individuals. The majority of the 33 reported September healthcare breaches were the result of Hacking/IT Incidents, affecting 1,889,849 patients. Unauthorized Access/Disclosures affected 18,814, while Theft/Loss affected 19,770 patients. Hacking/IT Incident Wood Ranch Medical: network server hack affecting 5,835 Magellan Healthcare: email hack affecting 55,637 National Imaging Associates: email [...]

2022-05-06T14:38:20-04:00October 3rd, 2019|
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Ransomware Healthcare Attacks Continue to Strike

Ransomware healthcare attacks should be a cause for concern for anyone working in healthcare. Ransomware attacks occur when an unauthorized party accesses an organization’s network, encrypting files until a sum of money is paid for their return. The healthcare industry has become the top target for hackers in part due to the sensitive information they handle and the lack of advanced cybersecurity practices. 400 Dental Practices Affected by Ransomware [...]

2022-05-06T14:38:20-04:00October 2nd, 2019|
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Ransomware Attack at Harbor Medical Group

Harbor Medical Group, a multi-clinic covered entity in Washington State, was the target of a ransomware attack on Saturday, June 15, 2019. Two days later, the attackers had already gained access to entity-wide services and systems. The hackers have demanded $1,000,000 in “ransom” money to unencrypt the systems encrypted by the ransomware attack. It is not clear whether the ransom has been paid. As of [...]

2022-05-06T14:04:12-04:00August 21st, 2019|
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Ransomware Attack on California Health and Wellness Center Leaves Up to 21,500 Exposed

California-based Shingle Springs Health and Wellness Center provides medical, behavioral, dental, and pharmaceutical services. On April 7, 2019, the center discovered that its server had become infected with ransomware.  A ransomware attack uses malicious software to gain access to a computer system, usually disabling the system, until an amount of money is paid.  The infection in this case may have compromised the protected health information [...]

2022-05-06T14:38:21-04:00July 18th, 2019|
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Ransomware Attack Affects 25,000

Ransomware attacks are cause for concern in the healthcare industry, the wealth of sensitive information, large budgets, and lack of proper safeguards, make the industry the perfect target for these types of attacks. Ransomware attacks use malicious software to gain access to a computer system, usually disabling the system, until an amount of money is paid.  The Southeastern Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SCADD) Victim of Ransomware Attack [...]

2022-05-06T14:38:21-04:00July 12th, 2019|
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Phishing Attacks Compromise the PHI of Thousands

Phishing attacks can be difficult to detect by nature. Attackers disguise themselves as a trusted entity, and send their victims links with malicious content, either through email, text, or instant message. When the receiver clicks the link, hackers are able to gain access to their system. Organizations that are maintaining or transmitting protected health information (PHI) must have safeguards in place to protect their data from email phishing [...]

2022-05-06T14:38:22-04:00June 17th, 2019|
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WannaCry Ransomware Infects 40% of Healthcare Delivery Organizations

Ransomware attacks are increasingly prevalent in the healthcare community. Ransomware attacks use malicious software to gain access to a computer system, usually disabling the system, until an amount of money is paid. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released guidance advising organizations on how to protect themselves against these types of attacks. How to Mitigate Your Risk of Ransomware Attacks The [...]

2022-05-06T14:38:22-04:00June 14th, 2019|
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Centrelake Medical Group Discovers Servers Compromised to Ransomware

Cybersecurity continues to pose a serious issue to players all throughout the healthcare industry. A recent HIPAA ransomware incident targeting Centrelake Medical Group, a network of eight medical imaging and oncology centers in California, only underscores this risk. The organization is now notifying patients after discovering a computer virus, which may have exposed their protected health information (PHI). PHI is any demographic information that can [...]

2021-08-25T13:59:20-04:00May 14th, 2019|
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195% Increase in Ransomware Attacks, Healthcare at Risk

Ransomware attacks have become a major security concern for many organizations, especially in healthcare. According to a recent report, ransomware attacks on business targets have increased by 195% since the fourth quarter in 2018. Researchers analyzed the combined statistics and intel collected from January 1, 2019 through March 31, 2019. They found that business detection of ransomware attacks increased by more than 500% from the [...]

2022-05-06T14:04:13-04:00May 8th, 2019|
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