A ransomware attack hit the surgeon-owner of ActivYouth Orthopedics in Paramus, N.J., according to SPAMfighter.
Four details:
1. On Jan. 9., ActivYouth owner Ronald Snyder, MD, found that attackers had compromised a computer server that stored patient billing information and encrypted it with ransomware.
2. Because of the encryption, ActivYouth staff members were unable to access files that contained patients' names, birthdays, addresses, genders, copay amounts, phone numbers, insurance identification numbers and more.
3. However, almost all of the encrypted files were quickly restored because employees had regularly backed up the server. Therefore, no ransom was paid.
4. Dr. Snyder hired a cybersecurity and computer forensics firm to investigate, but because of damage to the server and data, the third party was unable to definitively say whether patient data was accessed. The practice notified all potentially affected patients.
"Dr. Snyder takes this incident and the security of patient information in his practice's care very seriously. As part of his practice's ongoing commitment to the privacy and security of patient information, he is working to review existing policies and procedures and to implement additional safeguards to further secure the information in his systems," the practice said in a press release.