Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

History

2023: Hackers steal 533GB of data, demand for ransom

On December 15, 2023, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle's largest cancer research institute, reported a cyberattack on its computer infrastructure. As a result of the invasion, attackers were able to steal approximately 533 GB of information, including personal information about patients.

It is known that the IT specialists of the medical institution recorded unauthorized activity in information systems on November 19, 2023. The servers were promptly disabled in order to minimize the possible consequences of a hacker attack. In addition, additional security protocols had to be implemented. However, all these measures did not help prevent data leakage.

It is noted that the attackers had information about about 800 thousand people at their disposal. These are medical histories, test results, Social Security numbers and more. Cybercriminals demand a ransom from individual patients: for example, one of the clients of the cancer center received a letter from hackers offering to pay $50 for non-disclosure of his personal information.

The cybercriminal group Hunters International, which conducts attacks using ransomware, claimed responsibility for the invasion. The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center says an investigation into the incident is ongoing as of mid-December 2023. For this, third-party specialists in the field of information security were involved. Victims who receive letters with ransom demands are advised not to follow the lead of intruders and not to transfer money to them. It is emphasized that, despite the cyber attack, all clinics within the cancer center remain open and continue to serve patients.^[1]

Notes