Hospital Sisters Health System Reports Major Ransomware Attack

Hospital Sisters Health System, a non-profit healthcare system based in Springfield, Ill., has discovered a major email security breach that may affect thousands of patients, according to a press release.

This email security breach attack reportedly occurred between Aug. 6, 2019 and Aug. 9, 2019, during which unauthorized individuals accessed the email accounts of several employees of the Hospital Sisters Health System.

Hospital Sisters Health System has 15 hospitals located in Illinois and Wisconsin, and the information of 16,167 patients was included in the emails and email attachments exposed in the data breach. According to the hospital system’s press release, action was taken immediately, including the hiring of a computer forensic firm to investigate the breach and determine whether or not patient information had been compromised.

On Dec. 2, 2019, Hospital Sisters Health System was told that patient information may have been compromised, with patient information including:

• Names
• Birth dates
• Clinical information
• Health insurance information
• Social security number
• Driver’s license number

What Is Hospital Sisters Health System Doing to Help Affected Patients?

In response, Hospital Sisters Health System began mailing letters notifying patients of the email security breach on Jan. 31, 2020. Different patients had different information compromised—not all of these individuals had their Social Security number exposed, for instance. For those who did have their Social Security number or driver’s license number exposed, the hospital system offered complimentary membership to identity theft protection services to help mitigate any issues that may arise.

All patients notified of the breach have been advised to keep an eye on their accounts and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement, the press release notes.

In response to the breach, the hospital system has begun to improve on its email security to prevent this kind of attack from happening in the future.

How Common Are Security Breaches?

Unfortunately, security breaches like this one are becoming more and common, especially in the past few years. Security breaches have targeted hospitals, schools, and cities—basically, any company or organization that might have large databases of people’s personal information.

Email data breaches are the most common kind of healthcare breaches, and with so much confidential information now being shared via email, this is a concerning trend.

These data breaches and ransomware attacks can expose the personal information of hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people at once, which is a serious enough concern. Another major issue is that when these breaches are combined with hospital ransomware attacks—where breached data is held captive until a ransom is paid—patient care could potentially be delayed, placing them at risk.

If you were a patient at a hospital, clinic, or other healthcare facility when a medical ransomware attack affected your medical care, you may be able to join a class action lawsuit investigation.

Filing a lawsuit can be a daunting prospect, so Top Class Actions has laid the groundwork for you by connecting you with an experienced attorney. Consulting an attorney can help you determine if you have a claim, navigate the complexities of litigation, and maximize your potential compensation.

Join a Free Hospital Ransomware Attack Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you were a patient at a hospital or healthcare facility affected by a ransomware attack that impacted your medical care, you may qualify to join a hospital ransomware attack class action lawsuit investigation.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.