In a shocking turn of events, SimonMed Imaging, a prominent US outpatient medical imaging and radiology provider, has fallen victim to a brazen cyberattack. The result? Sensitive data on over 1.2 million patients has been compromised.
The company recently filed a report with the Maine Attorney General’s office, revealing that one of its vendors alerted them to a security incident in late January. The next day, SimonMed discovered unauthorized activity on their own network. They swiftly responded by resetting passwords, implementing two-factor authentication, setting up endpoint detection, and cutting off third-party vendor access. But the damage was already done.
Between January 21 and February 5, cybercriminals behind the Medusa ransomware group managed to exfiltrate a massive trove of sensitive data. While SimonMed is keeping tight-lipped about the exact details, they’ve confirmed that names and other “data elements” were stolen. Meanwhile, BleepingComputer reports that the hackers claim to have snatched 212GB of data, including ID scans, patient details, payment info, medical reports, and even raw scans.
Adding insult to injury, the Medusa group demanded a hefty $1 million ransom to delete the stolen data, with an additional $10,000 for each day they delayed publishing it. It’s unclear whether SimonMed paid the ransom, but the data leak site has since removed the company’s information.
In response to the breach, SimonMed has notified relevant authorities and brought in third-party cybersecurity experts to assess the damage. They’re also offering affected patients free identity theft and credit monitoring services through Experian.
So, what can you do to protect yourself? Stay vigilant, keep your software up-to-date, and consider using a password manager and authenticator app. And remember, if you’re a SimonMed patient, keep an eye on your credit reports and be on the lookout for any suspicious activity.
Stay safe out there, folks!
