ConnectOnCall hackers may have stolen medical data from after-hours doctor calls.
Posted: 11:50 AM PST · December 16, 2024
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Дмитрий Ларичев / Getty Images
Zack Whittaker called his doctor after hours. What followed was a phone call that led him to believe his medical data had been stolen—thanks to a cyberattack on ConnectOnCall.
Who Was Involved?
ConnectOnCall, which suffered a major data breach in May, is a digital answering service designed for healthcare providers to connect with patients outside of normal working hours. Owned by the tech company Phreesia, it facilitates communication between healthcare providers and patients when the latter are unable to reach their doctor during off-hours.
What Was Stolen?
The May breach involved sensitive patient information, including names, phone numbers, dates of birth, health conditions, treatments, prescriptions, and Social Security numbers. This data was crucial for interactions between patients and healthcare providers relying on ConnectOnCall for communication during non-working hours.
The Breach’s Impact
Phreesia disclosed to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that over 914,138 individuals were affected by the theft. The company did not provide a breakdown of exactly how many people had their information compromised but emphasized the significant impact on patients’ personal details.
Breach’s Significance
This breach marked the 14th largest healthcare-related data breach in 2024 to date, underscoring the growing risks posed by cyberattacks targeting sensitive patient information. Such incidents highlight the urgent need for robust security measures in healthcare technologies and services.
Why It Matters
The incident raises critical questions about data protection in digital health platforms, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding patient information from unauthorized access. Healthcare providers and tech companies must collaborate to implement stronger security protocols to mitigate such risks.
Conclusion
ConnectOnCall’s breach serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of inadequate cybersecurity measures in healthcare technologies. The incident underscores the need for vigilance and proactive steps to protect patient data, ensuring that health information remains secure from malicious actors.
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