CyberSecurity news
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The healthcare sector has been rocked by a recent ransomware attack on Episource, a medical coding, risk adjustment services, and software company. The breach, which occurred in February 2025, resulted in the compromise of sensitive patient health information. According to reports, unauthorized access to Episource's computer systems allowed cybercriminals to view and copy data belonging to the company's healthcare provider and health plan customers. The exposed information includes personal contact information, health insurance plan data, medical diagnoses, test results, and images, raising serious concerns about patient privacy and security.
Sharp Community Medical Group and Sharp Healthcare, Episource clients, have confirmed that patient data was compromised in the attack. While the incident did not involve unauthorized access to electronic health records or patient portals, the exposed data includes health insurance information and health data, such as medical record numbers, doctors, diagnoses, medications, test results, images, care, and treatments. Episource began notifying affected customers about which individuals and specific data may have been involved starting on April 23, 2025. Sharp Healthcare has also started sending out patient breach notifications. This incident highlights the increasing vulnerability of healthcare organizations to ransomware attacks. Microsoft reports that 389 healthcare companies have been hit by ransomware this year alone, resulting in network shutdowns, offline systems, rescheduled appointments, and delays in critical procedures. The financial impact is significant, with healthcare organizations losing up to $900,000 per day on downtime. Experts emphasize the importance of strengthening cybersecurity measures, including employee training and awareness programs, to protect sensitive patient data and mitigate the risk of future attacks. Episource is working to strengthen its computer systems and has notified law enforcement.
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A cyberattack struck Covenant Health on Monday, May 26, 2025, disrupting operations at St. Joseph Hospitals in Bangor, Maine, and Nashua, New Hampshire, as well as St. Mary’s Health System and Community Clinics in Lewiston, Maine. The healthcare provider, a Catholic-based nonprofit serving New England and parts of Pennsylvania, was forced to shut down all data systems across its hospitals, clinics, and provider practices as a protective measure against the "cyber incident initiated by an outside group." This action has impacted access to electronic records, appointment scheduling, and internal communications, leading to connectivity issues throughout the organization.
The cyberattack has led to significant operational disruptions at the affected facilities. In both Bangor and Nashua, ambulance services have been diverted, and diagnostic scans have been redirected to other locations. Patients have reported difficulties in refilling prescriptions, and outpatient lab services at St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua are now only available on the main hospital campus with a physical order in hand. Staff are working under modified procedures to maintain patient care amidst the system outages. The hospitals have posted notices on their websites acknowledging the disruptions and assuring the public that teams are working to restore full services as quickly as possible. Covenant Health spokesperson Karen Sullivan confirmed that cybersecurity experts have been engaged to investigate the breach and assist in restoring system functionality. While a timeline for full restoration has not been provided, the organization emphasizes that patient care remains a priority. Cybersecurity analysts are warning that medical institutions are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks due to the high value of patient data on illicit markets, stressing the urgent need for enhanced digital defenses across the healthcare sector. The incident is currently under investigation, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
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