- The VA Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was apparently sitting on 10 pallets in the basement, have finally been scanned into the EHR.
- Robert Lizaragga of Oregon pleaded guilty illegally using the identity of a child who died 30 years ago, after stealing the PHI.
- The Port of Houston, TX announced it had successfully defended itself from a ransomware attack, which could have disrupted their operations.
- UC San Diego Health of California was hit by a lawsuit regarding a breach caused by an email phishing attack that exposed PHI of just over 500,000 patients.
- Coos County Family Medical Centers of New Hampshire notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack.
- The Department of Justice announced that its prosecutors will ramp their usage of HIPAA subpoenas in federal investigations of healthcare facilities
- Family Medical Centers (FMC) of Michigan notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after ransomware attack, where hackers demanded and FMC paid a total of $30,000.00 to regain access to EHR.
- Censinet Risk Management published results of survey of affects of ransomware attack:
- 22% reporting increased mortality rates
- 61% lack confidence to combat ransomware
- 67% have been victims
- 33% have been hit at least twice
- 71% say attacks cause patients to have longer lengths of stay
- 71% say it causes delays in tests and procedures
- 65% report increase in patients being diverted to other facilities
- 36% report increase in complications from medical procedures
- The Washington Post newspaper is reporting that the FBI held back the ransomware decryption key for 3 weeks, which could have helped hundreds of businesses who were hobbled by ransomware attacks this past summer.
- Simon Eye Management, headquartered in Delaware, notified 144,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.
- USV Optical, headquartered in New Jersey, notified 180,000 patients that their PHI was exposed after email phishing attack.
- The Bellevue Fire Department of New York was sued by a man who claims his PHI was illegally disclosed by a firefighter.
- New Cooperative of Fort Dodge, Iowa notified customers that their info may have been exposed after ransomware attack.