Rainbow Children’s Clinic recently suffered a ransomware attack. According to the reports, the attack left the data encrypted which was stored on the facility’s system. Rainbow mentioned that it shut down the computer system immediately to prevent the information from being lost. 
But a forensic investigation team found that the patient records has been irretrievably deleted. Affected information includes patient names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and medical information.
Ransomware is computer malware that installs on a victim’s computer. Hackers use the technique mostly for the purpose of extorting money. It encrypts data with certain passcode. A ransom payment is asked to decrypt it or not to publish it publicly. Simple ransomware may lock the system but the data can be recovered by a knowledgeable person. More advanced malware encryption makes data inaccessible.
Other information which got impacted in Rainbow Clinic incident involves personal information related to patients’ payment guarantors, including guarantors’ names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and medical payment information. Facility mentioned that the affected individuals will be offered complimentary identity monitoring and identity theft resolution services.
“Rainbow Children’s Clinic takes the security of its patients’ information very seriously and has taken steps to prevent a similar event from occurring in the future, including strengthening its security measures and ensuring that its networks and systems are now secure,” Rainbow said.
As per the OCR data breach reporting tool, total 33,698 records got affected. As per the statement:
Notification letters mailed today include information about the incident and steps potentially impacted individuals can take to monitor and protect their personal information. Rainbow Children’s Clinic has established a toll-free call center to answer patient questions about the incident and related concerns. Additional information and recommendations for protecting personal information can be found on the Rainbow Children’s Clinic website.
The privacy and protection of patient information is a top priority, and Rainbow Children’s Clinic deeply regrets any inconvenience or concern this incident may cause.
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