DataBreaches.Net

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

In SEC filing, Medtronic reveals possible patient records loss or deletion

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Dissent

Ah, kudos to Patrick Ouellette of HealthITSecurity.com, who dug into recent reports of a  Medtronic breach more deeply than I did.  While most media reiterated Medtronic’s claims that no patient data was involved, Patrick reports:

Though medical device maker Medtronic revealed that hackers had entered network on two separate occasions last year in its Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing and didn’t steal anything, the incident appears to be in a bit of a compliance grey area.

According to the Star Tribune, hackers from Asia were not able to steal any patient data, but Medtronic acknowledged that it has been unable to locate some patient records after hackers were able to access its diabetes unit network. Medtronic explained in the filing that it detailed the exposure to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights (OCR). “Medtronic, along with two other large medical device manufacturers, discovered an unauthorized intrusion to our systems that was believed to originate from hackers in Asia,” it said. “While we found no evidence of a breach or inadvertent disclosure of the patient records, we were unable to locate them [patient records] for retrieval.”

Read more on HealthITSecurity.com.

This poses something of a dilemma in terms of whether notification is required under HITECH.  Medtronic concluded that “patient data was not affected,” but if they can no longer find it on their server, then the records were either downloaded and deleted, exported and deleted, just deleted, or perhaps destroyed during the forensics process, as four possibilities.  If their forensics can confirm that the data weren’t downloaded or exfiltrated, and if they have backups of the patient data, then what is the risk to patients?

Category: Uncategorized

Post navigation

← High school computer whiz, 16, criminally charged with hacking grades: A+ for effort?
Just in Time Research: Data Breaches in Higher Education →

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

  • ConnectWise suspects cyberattack affecting some ScreenConnect customers was state-sponsored
  • Possible ransomware attack disrupts Maine and New Hampshire Covenant Health locations
  • HHS OCR Settles HIPAA Security Rule Investigation of BayCare Health System for $800k and Corrective Action Plan
  • UK: Two NHS trusts hit by cyberattack that exploited Ivanti flaw
  • Update: ALN Medical Management’s Data Breach Total Soars to More than 1.8 Million Patients Affected
  • Russian-linked hackers target UK Defense Ministry while posing as journalists
  • Banks Want SEC to Rescind Cyberattack Disclosure Requirements
  • MathWorks, Creator of MATLAB, Confirms Ransomware Attack
  • Russian hospital programmer gets 14 years for leaking soldier data to Ukraine
  • MSCS board renews contract with PowerSchool while suing them

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

  • Home Pregnancy Test Company Wins Dismissal of Pixel Wiretapping Suit
  • The CCPA emerges as a new legal battleground for web tracking litigation
  • U.S. Spy Agencies Are Getting a One-Stop Shop to Buy Your Most Sensitive Personal Data
  • Period Tracking App Users Win Class Status in Google, Meta Suit
  • AI: the Italian Supervisory Authority fines Luka, the U.S. company behind chatbot “Replika,” 5 Million €
  • D.C. Federal Court Rules Termination of Democrat PCLOB Members Is Unlawful
  • Meta may continue to train AI with user data, German court says

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.