In latest knowledge breach information, the Vice Society, a hacker group, took credit score for the latest knowledge breach at Atlanta Perinatal Associates (“APA”). Whereas Atlanta Perinatal Associates has but to verify that it was victimized within the latest assault, the hackers uploaded a replica of all the information they obtained. Based mostly on the hackers’ claims, the compromised info contains sufferers’ names, dates of beginning, ID numbers, anticipated due dates of supply, referring doctor names, sonographer names, and the ultrasound outcomes. The breach apparently additionally contains further info, equivalent to sufferers’ historical past of drug or alcohol use, household and social elements, and different health-related points.
In case you obtain a knowledge breach notification from APA within the coming weeks, it’s important you perceive what’s in danger and what you are able to do about it. To be taught extra about the best way to defend your self from turning into a sufferer of fraud or id theft and what your authorized choices are within the wake of the Atlanta Perinatal Associates knowledge breach, please see our latest piece on the subject right here.
What We Know Concerning the Atlanta Perinatal Associates Knowledge Breach
In line with a latest report detailing the hacker’s claims, the group uploaded a considerable amount of knowledge allegedly obtained from Atlanta Perinatal Associates onto its “leak web site.” Hackers and different prison organizations usually keep these leak websites to “brag” about their accomplishments. To make sure they get credit score for his or her prison acts, teams will usually add both pictures of the information they obtained or, as was the case within the Atlanta Perinatal Associates breach, copies of the information itself.
The Atlanta Perinatal Associates knowledge breach entails leaked six-page paperwork outlining ultrasound procedures. Thus, the leaked knowledge contains all that one could anticipate finding in an ultrasound report, together with sufferers’ names, dates of beginning, ID numbers, anticipated due dates of supply, in addition to referring doctor names, sonographer names, and the ultrasound outcomes. As well as, these paperwork comprise different details about sufferers, equivalent to their historic use of medication and alcohol, social and household elements which will have an effect on being pregnant, and different health-related issues. Thus far, there are not any experiences that the leaked knowledge contained any of the sufferers’ insurance coverage info or Social Safety numbers. The leaked knowledge contained some information containing bank card info.
Atlanta Perinatal Associates has not but confirmed the breach or notified any of the affected events that their info was compromised. Nevertheless, it’s protected to imagine that APA is aware of of the cyberattack and is probably going within the technique of conducting its personal investigation into what occurred. If the corporate confirms a breach of affected person knowledge, will probably be required to inform all affected events by sending them knowledge breach notifications.
Extra Particulars About Atlanta Perinatal Associates
Atlanta Perinatal Associates is an Atlanta, Georgia-based healthcare supplier specializing in maternal-fetal drugs. The apply makes a speciality of treating moms who’re experiencing a high-risk being pregnant and coordinates all features of a affected person’s care with different medical suppliers. APA has eight areas all through Georgia, together with in Atlanta, Conyers, Decatur, East Level, Riverdale, Newnan, and Stockbridge. Atlanta Perinatal Associates has roughly 46 staff and brings in additional than $8 million in annual income.
Issues Surrounding Healthcare Knowledge Breaches
Most individuals are conversant in the dangers of knowledge breaches that consequence of their monetary info being leaked. When your monetary info is positioned within the fingers of a hacker, cybercriminal or one other unhealthy actor, they’ll usually use it to conduct unauthorized transactions and possibly even steal your id.
Nevertheless, fewer persons are conscious of the dangers raised by knowledge breaches concentrating on healthcare info. At first look, the priority would appear to be that this info may be very non-public, and the considered it being made public makes sufferers uncomfortable—to place it mildly. Actually, this can be a very legitimate concern. And hackers have been recognized to use sufferers by threatening to make their info public.
Nevertheless, the extra frequent hurt that comes from healthcare knowledge breaches is that the hacker makes use of a affected person’s info to acquire medical therapy within the affected person’s identify. Alternatively, a hacker could promote the affected person’s info to a different individual, who then seeks therapy within the affected person’s identify. In both case, this may end up in each monetary and bodily dangers for the affected person. For instance, if somebody obtains unauthorized medical care in your identify, you’ll obtain the invoice for companies you by no means obtained.
Extra regarding, nonetheless, is the truth that any info offered by the unauthorized celebration to the healthcare supplier can discover its manner into your medical information. Which means the following time you go to the physician’s workplace or hospital, it’s potential that the supplier has inaccurate info associated to your medical historical past, allergic reactions, or present record of pharmaceuticals.
The specter of a healthcare knowledge breach may be very actual. And anybody who learns that their medical info was compromised ought to take all vital steps to safe the security and accuracy of their medical information.
