
About a month after revealing it had been the victim of a malware attack, scammers stole data from the hospital program Ascension that were likely filled with personal information, Ascension said in a statement on Wednesday.
Ascension said it now has information that the intruders took records from seven of the state’s 25, 000 report machines. Although Ascension is also looking into those files, it has stated that it thinks some of those files may have personally identifiable information and protected health information for some people. According to Ascension, the system is still unsure simply which data was stolen or which people were receiving it.
Resurrection claimed it has no proof that the hackers hacked into its electronic health records. The attack was reported as a result of an unintentional download by a worker at one of the company’s services of a malicious file that the employee believed to be reasonable.
Any person or individual who wants the services and wants to enlist in Ascension may call 1-888-498-8066 and receive free credit checking and identity fraud protection services.
Arrival is a global health system with roughly 150 sites of treatment in Illinois, including 14 clinics.
The organization has claimed that it first learned about the invasion on May 8. Some elective therapies and appointments were delayed by the systems ‘ hospitals and clinics, and one Ascension Illinois clinic temporarily went on an emergency pass, which meant paramedics were asked to transfer new patients to different hospitals.
A nurse in at least one of Ascension’s Illinois facilities said, shortly after the attack, nurses had n’t automatically view doctors ‘ orders for patients, such as for drugs or tests, or use their common procedures to maintain accuracy when administering medicine to patients.
The main technology used for electronic patient documentation, which would allow hospitals and doctors ‘ offices to once more record, track, and send orders electronically, was restored, according to Ascension Illinois ‘ announcement earlier this week.
The incident at Ascension was one of the latest in a , string of cyberattacks  , on health care institutions in Illinois and across the country. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago was  , attacked , in January, and University of Chicago Medical Center said in late May that the information of about 10, 300 people may have been exposed in a , phishing incident.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, cybercriminals frequently target health systems because of their size, their dependence on technology, and the large volumes of sensitive data they hold.
___
© 2024 Chicago Tribune
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.