Lehigh Valley Health Network

History

2023: Hacker Attack Collapse

In early March 2023, it became known that ransomware hackers from the Alphv group hacked into the Lehigh Valley Health Network and began publishing photos of Americans with cancer on the Internet in the hope of getting a ransom.

Attackers injected malicious code into the medical portal system, as a result of which they stole the data of electronic medical records of patients. The stolen personal data included full names, addresses, dates of birth, bank card numbers, card expiration dates, as well as confidential information on various patients' diseases.

Ransomware hackers hacked into a network of clinics and began to publish photos of Americans with cancer

According to the US Department of Health, an electronic card is created by a doctor when a patient comes to his appointment. It includes information about the patient's diseases, visits to the doctor, prescribed drugs, sick leave. Soon, the results of clinical tests and other important data about the user will appear in the map.

The attackers posted on the Internet clinical images used by the Lehigh Valley Health Network, described on the Alphv website as "nude photos." In fact, the folder contained electronic card files with pictures of radiotherapy to combat malignant cells and photographs of cancer patients.

According to our initial analysis, the attack was carried out on a network supporting one medical practice located in Lackawanna County. We take this very seriously, and protecting the data security and privacy of our patients, physicians and staff is critical, "commented Lehigh Valley Health Network President and Chief Executive Brian Nester.

The incident occurred with a computer system used to capture clinically relevant images of patients for the treatment of radiation oncology and other sensitive information, Nester said. IT systems at the Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital at Lehigh Valley Health Network, were not affected.^[1]

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