PHI of Over 250,000 Individuals Affected by Data Breaches

A ransomware attack on Assured Imaging in Tucson, AZ resulted in the encryption of its medical record system. Assured Imaging is a subsidiary of Rezolut Medical Imaging and provider of Health Screening and Diagnostic Services.

Assured Imaging learned about the attack on May 19, 2020 and worked promptly to prevent further unauthorized access and recover the encrypted information. With the help of a third-party computer forensics agency, Assured Imaging looked into the ransomware attack to figure out the extent of the breach. The investigation showed an unauthorized individual acquired access to its systems between May 15, 2020 and May 17, 2020 and exfiltrated limited data prior to deploying the ransomware.

The forensic investigation affirmed that information was stolen although it wasn’t possible to know precisely what files the attackers exfiltrated. Assured Imaging conducted a review to know all types of information that could have been accessed. The compromised system was confirmed to consist of full names, birth dates, addresses, patient IDs, facility used, treating physician’s names, medical backgrounds, services done, analysis of the service done, and recommendations on future assessment.

Assured Imaging is not aware of any misuse of patient data however the service provider encourages all affected people to keep track of their accounts and credit reports for any indication or bogus activity.

Assured Imaging submitted an incident report to law enforcement and the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights. According to the OCR breach portal, the attack affected around 244,813 persons.

6,000 Roper St. Francis Healthcare Patients Affected by Email Breach

Roper St. Francis Healthcare based in Charleston, SC experienced a data breach that affected only one email account. The provider detected the breach on July 8, 2020, but the investigation into the breach revealed that the email account compromise occurred from June 13, 2020 to June 17, 2020.

The forensic investigation affirmed that the email account held patients’ names, health record or patient account numbers, dates of birth, and limited clinical and/or treatment information, such as diagnoses, providers’ names, and/or procedure data. The health insurance details and/or Social Security numbers of some people were also contained in the email account. The breach impacted around 6,000 patients.

Roper St. Francis Healthcare offered complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to those who had their Social Security number compromised. Employee training on email security has been reinforced and email security solutions have been increased.

This is not Roper St. Francis’s first phishing attack report this year. In February, the healthcare provider publicized the compromise of the email accounts of 13 personnel due to a phishing attack between November 15 2018 and December 1, 2018. The PHI of 35,253 patients was affected in the breach.