"Ransomware Attack on Lab in Florida"
A ransomware attack on a laboratory based in Florida has exposed the personal health information (PHI) of more than 30,000 patients. Nationwide Laboratory Services, which is based in Boca Raton, identified suspicious activity on its network on May 19, 2021. An examination of the activity revealed that attackers had used ransomware to encrypt files across the healthcare provider’s network, making their contents inaccessible. Digital forensics revealed that cyberattackers had broken into areas of Nationwide Laboratory Services’ network that contained patients’ PHI. The adversaries behind the ransomware assault encrypted files in which patient data was stored, including names, dates of birth, lab test results, medical record numbers, Medicare numbers, and health insurance information. Nationwide Laboratory Services also found that a limited number of individuals had Social Security numbers also impacted. The lab said that the cyberattack did not affect all patients and that the amount of data exposed in the incident differed from patient to patient.