Confidential data of nearly half a million people at Pennsylvania's nonprofit healthcare provider Maternal & Family Health Services ( MFHS ) was exposed to cybercriminals .
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Just last week, MFHS reported that its networks were hit by ransomware, putting the confidential information of its current and former patients, employees, and suppliers at risk. On April 4 of this year, the healthcare giant was notified of a potential incident. However, it is possible that information has been exposed since August 21 of last year.
When asked by TechCrunch at the time, MFHS declined to say how many people were affected. This week, the Maine attorney general’s office issued a statement saying that 461,070 people were affected by the breach , including 68 Maine residents.
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A letter was sent to those affected by the ransomware incident on January 10th – a full nine months after the MFHS was first notified. The attackers gained access to a range of sensitive data, including names and addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers and driver’s license numbers along with usernames and passwords, health insurance details combined with medical records, and financial information. In addition, the perpetrators claimed responsibility for the theft of credit and debit card numbers.
Despite continued speculation, the source of this ransomware attack remains a mystery. It is also yet to be confirmed whether MFHS paid any ransom demands or why it chose not to disclose the incident when it first occurred. MFHS has not responded to inquiries about the incident, while no major ransomware group appears to have claimed responsibility for the attack.
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Ransomware is a type of malware that can be used to encrypt or lock data on a computer, leaving the user without access to it until a ransom is paid. This type of cyberattack has become increasingly common in recent years as hackers look for new ways to leverage their malicious activities.
