Non-profit healthcare system NorthBay Healthcare Corporation (NorthBay Health) is notifying over 569,000 individuals that their personal information was stolen in a data breach following a ransomware attack a year ago.
According to the organization, the unauthorized access to its network was identified on February 23, 2024, but the attackers had access to its systems between January 11 and April 1.
During that time, the attackers accessed certain files containing personal information such as names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport and other government ID numbers, medical information, and biometric information.
Furthermore, the hackers accessed usernames and passwords, financial information, credit or debit card numbers, and, for some individuals, credit or debit card expiration dates, security codes, and/or PINs.
In a filing with the Maine Attorney General’s Office, NorthBay Health said that it is sending written notifications to 569,012 individuals who were impacted by the incident, without detailing how many of these are patients or employees.
[ Read: 2024 US Healthcare Data Breaches: 720 Incidents, 186 Million User Records ]
The organization told the affected people that it does not believe that their personal information was misused for identity theft or fraud, but it is providing them with one year of free identity protection and credit monitoring services.
NorthBay Health did not specifically say that ransomware was used in the attack, but the attack forced it to shut down its systems on April 1, a typical response to ransomware. No known ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the incident, which suggests that a ransom might have been paid.
The system disruption, which resulted in employees reverting to downtime procedures at NorthBay Health’s Fairfield and Vacaville facilities and in patients being turned away, continued for at least two weeks as the organization was slowly restoring the impacted systems.
NorthBay Health operates two hospitals and multiple clinics in Solano County and employs more than 150 doctors, offering a broad range of healthcare services, including primary care, trauma, orthopedics, heart, pediatrics, neuro, and cancer.
SecurityWeek has emailed NorthBay Health for additional clarification on the cyberattack and data breach and will update this article as soon as a reply arrives.
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