Patients of the Austin Cancer Centers are now being notified after a data breach forced the organization’s IT networks to be shut down. Reports show that 36,503 patients have potentially been affected by the breach.
In early August, the healthcare network discovered that threat actors penetrated their systems infecting it with their malware. Upon realizing the malware had been deployed, Austin Cancer Centers responded by immediately shutting down their network and contacting law enforcement. Further investigations by cyber security experts have determined the intruders penetrated the IT systems and held an unseen foothold since late July.
Potentially affected individuals are being told exposed information may have included Social Security numbers, names, addresses, birth dates, credit card and health-related information. The company has reached out to patients sharing an apology stating they are “deeply saddened and frustrated by this incident,” and although they have taken steps to remediate the situation, they are reminding those affected to remain cautious of potential fraud and misuse of their personal information.
Company officials have said that as investigations continue, more details will be provided. In the meantime, operations have been fully restored and offices are currently open.