California’s San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital Becomes Victim of Data Breach

Anyone that’s been keeping up with cybersecurity posts inside of 2022 knows that hospitals are one of the number one targets for hackers worldwide. While a few things are slightly higher on the food chain, like credit monitoring bureaus and banks, hospitals contain the perfect combination of data for hackers. Names, social security numbers, financial account information, and insurance information are highly sought after. 

How Did the Attack Occur?

Between October 29th, 2022, and November 10th, 2022, an unauthorized party had access to the hospital’s internal systems. The hacker seems to have hacked the hospital’s systems, garnering access to the personal information of an undisclosed number of patients.

What Information Was Viewed or Stolen?

The hacker managed to access a wide range of personal details. “We determined that one or more documents may have reflected your name, address, date of birth, medical record number, visit ID number, health insurance information, and/or clinical information, such as diagnosis, treatment information, date of service, provider name, and/or department name,” said the notification letter. If social security numbers were involved, it was on a by-patient basis, and the letters received by the victims would establish whether or not theirs were involved. 

How Did SGMH Admit to the Breach?

The hospital admitted to the breach via notification letters. SGMH sent these letters to the California State Attorney General’s Office and the victims and posted a copy of the letter on the company’s website. The letters explained the incident, including how it occurred, the involved data, what the hospital was doing, and some simple steps for the victims to take to ensure their safety.

What Will Become of the Stolen Information?

The fate of the data depends on whose hands it ends up in. Some hackers will steal and/or sell the identities of these people. Others will use or sell the insurance to get increased benefits or order fraudulent medications or medical procedures. A lot of people find it easier to invest in a one-time payment to buy someone’s insurance information instead of constantly buying the drugs to which they’re addicted. There are also many people willing to pay a couple of hundred dollars once to pay for an expensive treatment to keep themselves or a loved one safe and alive.

What Should Affected Parties Do in the Aftermath of the Breach?

There are several ways that victims can handle the breach. Though it isn’t offered free by the hospital, it would be a good idea to invest in credit monitoring as well as device monitoring software that will alert you to any type of virus or malware on your device. We also recommend you monitor your messages and phone calls to ensure you’re safe from scams. Most newer phones alert you to “scam likely” calls. Keeping yourselves and your loved ones safe has never been more critical, and we’re glad to have been able to help you do so.