DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

AU: Medical center receives ransom demand to unlock patient files

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Dissent

Stephanie Bedo reports on that a medical center’s worst nightmare has occurred. From Goldcoast:

A Gold Coast medical centre is being held to ransom by an international computer hacker who wants $4000 to unlock thousands of patient files.

The Miami Family Medical Centre has been without the patient files for more than a week after its computer system was hacked and all the patient files encrypted with a military-grade encryption program.

It gets worse, but what struck me is that they’ve had similar situations in that area in this past year:

It is the latest in a string of 11 similar medical extortion cases that have taken place across the state this year.

I’m not finding any other such stories on their site or in a Google search. I’d love to know more about these other cases.

And here’s how a bad situation becomes worse:

Dr Munira Butt said the system was hit over a weekend, with the hackers then sending emails from an untraceable overseas account demanding $4000 if the business wanted to get the records back.

“They’ve corrupted all our back-up discs too,” Dr Butt said.

“They have hacked us really well because they’ve been in and disabled quite a number of programs.

“That’s seven years worth of data missing or gone.”

Without the clinical files, doctors are effectively blind when treating patients as they have no access to patient history, known allergies, blood test results, blood pressure readings or even cancer results.

So what the heck are the police doing to help? Nothing, reportedly:

She has refused to give in but has had no success getting help from police so far.

Dr Butt said she spent all of last week contacting cybercrime squads within the Australian Federal Police and has left several messages but no one has responded to her or investigated the case.

An AFP spokeswoman said the scam was an issue for the police.

“I’ve contacted all the e-crime squads and no one’s getting back to me,” Dr Butt said.

Read more on GoldCoast.com.au

Category: Health Data

Post navigation

← #OpIsrael Attack Updates 20+ further sites hacked
100 Sites defaced by @UGBrazil →

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • Nova Scotia Power hit by cyberattack, critical infrastructure targeted, no outages reported
  • Georgia hospital defeats data-tracking lawsuit
  • 60K BTC Wallets Tied to LockBit Ransomware Gang Leaked
  • UK: Legal Aid Agency hit by cyber security incident
  • Public notice for individuals affected by an information security breach in the Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division of Helsinki
  • PowerSchool paid a hacker’s extortion demand, but now school district clients are being extorted anyway (3)
  • Defending Against UNC3944: Cybercrime Hardening Guidance from the Frontlines
  • Call for Public Input: Essential Cybersecurity Protections for K-12 Schools (2025-26 SY)
  • Cyberattack puts healthcare on hold for hundreds in St. Louis metro
  • Europol: DDoS-for-hire empire brought down: Poland arrests 4 administrators, US seizes 9 domains

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • Apple Siri Eavesdropping Payout Deadline Confirmed—How To Make A Claim
  • Privacy matters to Canadians – Privacy Commissioner of Canada marks Privacy Awareness Week with release of latest survey results
  • Missouri Clinic Must Give State AG Minor Trans Care Information
  • Georgia hospital defeats data-tracking lawsuit
  • No Postal Service Data Sharing to Deport Immigrants
  • DOGE aims to pool federal data, putting personal information at risk
  • Privacy concerns swirl around HHS plan to build Medicare, Medicaid database on autism

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.