News and Updates on Information Technology

United States – Otis Bowen Center for Human Services

Exploit: Phishing scam

Otis Bowen Center for Human Services: Mental health and addiction recovery service

Risk to Small Business: 2.223 = Severe

Two employees engaged with a phishing scam that provided hackers with access to company data. Although the breach occurred in January 2020, the company only recently completed a digital forensic audit that revealed the extent of the incident. Unfortunately, this slow response time has put victims at risk of data misuse, and it could have regulatory implications because of the healthcare-oriented nature of the breach.

Individual Risk: 2.130 = Severe

The company declined to identify the specific data sets, but patient data often contains peoples’ most sensitive information. Victims were notified by email, and they should take every precaution to ensure that they mitigate the possible repercussions of the breach. This includes enrolling in the complimentary credit and identity monitoring services offered by the company.

Customers Impacted: 35,800

How it Could Affect Your Customers’ Business: In 2020, data privacy regulations impact companies in every sector and in many locations. As a result, data security isn’t just an altruistic endeavor. It’s a mission-critical priority, and a failure to execute on this standard can have significant financial implications for companies that experience a data breach.

Source:
https://www.hipaajournal.com/35800-patients-of-the-otis-r-bowen-center-for-human-services-notified-about-email-security-breach/