A fertility clinic disclosed a data breach after files containing sensitive patient data were stolen during a ransomware attack.
- Sensitive patient data of a Georgia-based fertility clinic stolen during a ransomware attack.
- The stolen data contained information about 38,000 patients.
- The attacker gained access to their systems on April 7, 2021.
A fertility clinic disclosed a data breach after files containing sensitive patient data were stolen during a ransomware attack.
Reproductive Biology Associates, LLC (RBA) is a fertility clinic based in Georgia that recruits egg donors, retrieves eggs, and stores them for future use by recipients, including those using the MyEggBank service.
MyEggBank works with numerous fertility centres around the USA, including RBA, to recruit egg donors and create an egg bank where potential recipients can dig into a matching egg donor.
RBA learned that they were hit by a ransomware attack on April 16, 2021, when “a file server containing embryology data was encrypted and therefore inaccessible, ” states RBA and its affiliate MyEggBank in a data breach notification.
They believe the attackers first gained access to their systems on April 7 and a server containing health information on April 10.
Even though RBA does not confess that they paid the ransom, the data breach notification indicates that they had done so to get a decryptor and prevent the release of stolen data.
“In the course of our ongoing investigation of the incident, on June 7, 2021, we determined the individuals whose personal information was affected," says the RBA data breach notification.
"Access to the encrypted files was regained, and we obtained confirmation from the actor that all exposed data was deleted and is no longer in its possession. "
The data stolen during the ransomware attack contained the following information of around 38,000 patients:
- Full name
- Social Security Number
- Address
- Laboratory Results
- Information relating to the handling of human tissue
As part of their ongoing investigation, RBA has hired an IT services firm to help determine how the attack was conducted, what data was accessed, and secure their network and devices.
RBA is also offering affected patients free identity theft monitoring services and is advising affected patients to monitor their credit reports.
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