DataBreaches.Net

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

Breach at vendor’s results in Mayfield Brain & Spine patients receiving emails containing malware

Posted on May 9, 2016 by Dissent

CINCINNATI, OH: On February 23, 2016, many people began receiving a fraudulent email titled “Important Information: invoice 11471” from an unauthorized person who had accessed Mayfield Brain & Spine’s account at an outside vendor. This email was not sent by Mayfield. Mayfield notified recipients of the malicious email as soon as possible that same day, posted the information prominently on its website home page, and updated recipients again on February 25 with recommendations for remedy.

Mayfield has completed its review and is issuing a final communication to all recipients by letter and also by distributing a press release of the incident and Mayfield’s response since that time.

As previously reported on WCPO TV in February, the email was generated by an unknown, unauthorized person who accessed the database of an outside vendor. This vendor sends, via email, newsletters, educational information, invitations, announcements, and other information about Mayfield to patients, business associates, event attendees, website contacts and other friends of Mayfield. Recipients of the fraudulent email who clicked on an attachment within it potentially triggered a download of a ransomware virus.

According to Thomas Rosenberger, Vice President of Communications, “The vendor receives only email addresses from Mayfield. No other health or financial information is shared. In this incident, no Mayfield systems were involved, and no patient health or financial information was compromised.

Rosenberger added, “Mayfield’s first priority is always the well-being of our patients. Once we learned of the incident, we immediately communicated with recipients by email, by social media, and on our website, including both notification and instructions on how to remove the virus.” The communication included a free download of software to remove the malware.

Mayfield has taken several steps to ensure that an incident like this does not happen again. These include working with the vendor’s compliance office to understand what transpired, locking the account so it cannot be accessed, and working with a computer virus protection service to determine if the email and/or its attachment contained a virus.

Mayfield has reviewed its policies and procedures to ensure that all patient information is secure. “We are continuously monitoring the situation,” Rosenberger said. “With all of the action taken to date, we do not believe that recipients of the fraudulent email need to take any additional steps at this time.”

If you have questions or concerns about this event, more information is available at MayfieldClinic.com, or you can contact us by toll-free telephone at 800-325-7787 or by email at [email protected].

SOURCE: Mayfield Clinic

The incident was reported on April 23 to HHS as impacting 23,341 patients.


Related:

  • Qantas obtains injunction to prevent hacked data’s release
  • Ransomware attack disrupts Korea's largest guarantee insurer
  • Theft from Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital sparks probe
  • Global operation targets NoName057(16) pro-Russian cybercrime network in Operation Eastwood
  • More than 100 British government personnel exposed by Ministry of Defence data leak
  • New TeleMessage SGNL Flaw Is Actively Being Exploited by Attackers
Category: HackHealth DataMalware

Post navigation

← Are You in the Panama Papers? Huge Database Is Released to Public
FTC To Study Mobile Device Industry’s Security Update Practices →

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

  • Singapore Facing ‘Serious’ Cyberattack by Espionage Group With Alleged China Ties
  • Missouri Adopts New Data Breach Notice Law
  • Qantas obtains injunction to prevent hacked data’s release
  • Ransomware attack disrupts Korea’s largest guarantee insurer
  • Theft from Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital sparks probe
  • Global operation targets NoName057(16) pro-Russian cybercrime network in Operation Eastwood
  • More than 100 British government personnel exposed by Ministry of Defence data leak
  • New TeleMessage SGNL Flaw Is Actively Being Exploited by Attackers
  • North Country Healthcare responds to Stormous’s claims of a breach
  • Gladney Adoption Center had serious data exposures in the past few months. What will they do to prevent more?

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

  • 𝐔𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚‑𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝟑𝟎 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠.
  • Meta investors, Zuckerberg reach settlement to end $8 billion trial over Facebook privacy violations
  • ICE is gaining access to trove of Medicaid records, adding new peril for immigrants
  • Microsoft can’t protect French data from US government access
  • Texas Enacts Electronic Health Record Data Localization Law
  • Upstate NY county clerk again refuses to enforce Texas abortion judgment
  • Attorney General James Leads Coalition Urging Congress to Protect Americans from Masked ICE Agents

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.