I covered the news of this settlement last week, but note that in the process of investigating this breach, the attorney general’s office discovered a previous breach, too: NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced a settlement with Aetna Inc. (“Aetna”), following claims that Aetna revealed the HIV status of approximately 2,460 New…
Category: Health Data
Topeka healthcare company fined for failing to protect personal information
I like seeing state attorneys general take enforcement action over breaches, even if the amount of the monetary penalties is quite small, as in this case. This case may remind people who have offices or satellite offices in their homes that they can’t just leave employee or patient data lying around where anyone can see…
MS: Fast Response by Singing River Health System May Have Averted Major PHI Hack
OK, I’m having trouble believing a report I just read. Let’s start with the report that was understandable. On January 16, Tyler Carter reported: PASCAGOULA, Miss. — Singing River Health System’s computer systems were targeted overnight in an attempt to pilfer information from the hospital, according to Chief Operating Officer Lee Bond. The attempted cyber-attack…
Personal details of 220,000 Malaysian organ donors and their next of kin leaked online
Sharmila Nair reports: The personal details of over 220,000 organ donors pledgers in Malaysia has been leaked online. As disclosed by online forum and technology news site lowyat.net, the leaked data contains MyKad numbers, home addresses, telephone numbers of not just the pledgers but that of their next of kin as well. The source of…
Withybush Hospital bosses apologize, launch investigation into insider snooping into patient records
Dave Parkinson reports: A former staff member at Withybush Hospital inappropriately accessed electronic patient hospital records, health bosses have revealed. Hywel Dda Health Board said it has written to 41 people to provide them with information and support after its own investigation identified the breach. The individual, an administrator at Withybush Hospital is no longer…
Health Data Breaches in 2017: The Year in Review
Protenus, Inc. has released its 2017 review of breaches involving health data. It is the second annual review they have published since we began collaborating on data collection and analyses. As a reminder of last year’s major findings: Protenus reported that in 2016, insider incidents constituted approximately 43% of the 450 incidents we had compiled…