ProPublica researchers discovered unprotected serversthat exposed the medical records of millions of patients around the world.
According to the ProPublica report, approximately 13.7 million medical exams belonging to U.S. patients were exposed online .More than 400,000 X-rays and other medical images were available for download.
Researchers discovered 187 unprotected servers in the US and five in Germany. The servers hosted millions of sensitive data , including various records, dates of birth, doctors, tests, treatments, etc.
ProPublica reported that in total, more than 16 million medical records from patients around the world were found. Names, dates of birth, and (in some cases) Social Security numbers were exposed.
The leak of this personal data can cause many problems. Cybercriminals could use patient information to commit fraud. In addition, we are talking about a violation of HIPAA, the American law protecting patient data.
According to the report, the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance stated that the server administrators were responsible for the leak incident.
Medical data exposure is now a common occurrence. Inadequate data protection combined with the increased use of connected devices and medical trackers, exposes data to risk. The integration of new technologies into the medical space serves cybercriminals , as they can gain access to medical information much more easily than in the past.
The American healthcare company Anthem was the victim of an attack in 2015, resulting in the theft of the medical data of 79 million people.
Given the seriousness of this data and the increased number of attacks, it is necessary to take measures to prevent and address threats.
The security of medical data is very important. There should be specific procedures for collecting and sharing data and an emphasis on protecting patient privacy.
Not long ago, major companies like Apple, Google, Amazon , and Microsoft partnered with hospitals and medical services US on a new standard for sharing health data.
All healthcare services and centers should invest in cybersecurity ,continuously monitor and improve their security practices, and keep their systems secure. Only in this way will they be able to address threats and protect patients.
