Community Psychiatry Management, LLC, (DBA Mindpath Health) Proves No One is Immune from Phishing Scams
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- By Steven
- Jan 13, 2023
Every single one of us has wanted to open that email that says we won a trip to the Bahamas, but we know it’s a scam. Some wear better disguises, like an important email from your place of work, but we still get the vacation emails because they work. At least one person reading this has fallen for one of those scams and may have soon after seen the blue screen of death. We’ve all succumbed to a scam, whether financial, informational, work, or relationship-related, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. However, there are consequences for the victims that will likely never affect the scammer.
How Did the Attack Occur?
The attack on Mindpath Health likely occurred through a phishing scam. During a routine maintenance audit of the company emails, Mindpath employees discovered suspicious activity in said emails. Following this detection, Mindpath immediately hired a third-party forensic investigator to investigate the activity. They found that an unauthorized third party had accessed the system twice. The first was in March 2022, and the second was in June of the same year.
What Information Was Viewed or Stolen?
While there is no proof that the scammer found these details, it would be naive to assume they hadn’t. The information the hacker may have accessed includes full names, social security numbers, addresses, medical diagnoses, birthdays, treatment information, prescription information, and health insurance details.
How Did Mindpath Health Admit to the Breach?
Mindpath admitted to the breach with an official filing with the California State Attorney General’s Office. “As an additional safeguard for your information, MPH has arranged for you to enroll, at no cost to you, in identity theft protection services through IDX, the data breach and recovery services expert,” read the notification.
What Will Become of the Stolen Information?
Unfortunately, if the hacker did steal the information, the victims could be in for a wild ride. Alone, each piece of information is valuable, but together, they make up the history of a person, making them priceless. Together, these details make up a whole digital human being.
Say Nico was a patient at Mindpath. He had issues with depression and was prescribed Fluoxetine (an antidepressant). Now, Nico’s information is floating around the dark web. Not only is this dangerous for things like his credit score, but also because if people can find him on social media, they could bully him into another depressive episode.
What Should Affected Parties Do in the Aftermath of the Breach?
Especially after a breach like this, so many things need to be monitored. Of course, monitoring your credit and PII is important, but another important part is making sure your mental health stays intact. Mental health problems can arise from this, as many people with issues like this can begin to feel anxious or hopeless very quickly, leading to isolation, depression, or worse. If you are struggling with mental health or suicidal ideals, call 988 to talk to a crisis counselor. It’s completely free and saves lives daily. Remember, you are not alone, and there will always be somebody there.
