Posted On March 11, 2023 Consumer Privacy & Data Breaches
March 11, 2023 – Codman Square Health Center discovered that private patient data had been compromised by a ransomware attack on the organization’s IT system, and as a result, it filed a notification of data breach with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights on March 1, 2023. According to the company’s report, the incident led to unauthorized access to the full names, addresses, and protected health information of consumers. Once it was established that customer data had been compromised, Codman started notifying all 10,161 individuals who had been affected by the recent data security issue.
The Codman Square Health Center data breach is being looked into by the data breach lawyers at Console & Associates, P.C. We are providing free consultations where we can go over your legal choices for obtaining financial compensation from Codman if you are one of the victims of the data breach and want to learn more about how you can protect yourself.
The Codman Square Health Center is a healthcare organization that treats more than 23,000 people annually and offers various services, including primary care, urgent care, eye care, dental care, and mental health care. Codman Square Health Center, a Dorchester, Massachusetts-based organization founded in 1979, now employs over 290 people and brings in about $40 million annually.
According to the Codman Square Health Center’s filing with the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and a “Notice of Data Security Event” published on the Codman website on November 28, 2022, Codman discovered that it had been the target of what appeared to be a ransomware attack. In order to determine whether any customer data was exposed as a result of the incident, Codman started working with outside cybersecurity experts to investigate it.
The ransomware attack was confirmed by the Codman investigation; the company discovered that between November 23, 2022, and November 27, 2022, a third party had access to and exfiltrated files from the IT network of the business holding sensitive patient data.
Codman Square Health Center started to examine the impacted files after learning that private consumer information had been made accessible to an unauthorized party. This was done to determine what information had been compromised and which customers were impacted. While the specifics of the breached information vary from person to person, it may include your name, location, and protected health information like your medical record number, diagnoses, other treatment information, and information about insurance claims.
On March 1, 2023, Codman Square Health Center sent data breach letters to all individuals who have been impacted by the leak.
A ransomware attack is a form of cyberattack in which hackers infect a company’s computer network with malware. The data is encrypted by this software, which also prevents the business from accessing its own data. When files on the system are encrypted, only users with the tools to decode them can view them.
Ransomware is so named because hackers will leave a message demanding payment from the business in exchange for access to its data once more. The attack will stop once the fee has been paid, and the files have been decrypted.
To guarantee that the business pays for the files back, some hackers use a much more sinister threat. The business doesn’t really have an incentive to pay the fee if they have backup copies of the files. Therefore, if the business doesn’t pay the ransom, hackers may actually disclose the data onto the dark web. This method is referred to as “double extortion.”
The consumer privacy lawyers at Console & Associates, P.C. help customers affected by data and security breaches pursue legal solutions by offering free consultations. By explaining your rights in clear, concise terms, we help you make an informed decision about your next steps. If you are a victim of the Codman Square Health Center data breach, Console & Associates, P.C. will investigate at no charge to you and offer advice on how to proceed. If you decide to pursue a case, rest assured that we don’t get paid unless you do. If your claim is successful, legal fees are either paid out of the funds recovered or by the defendant. If your claim is not successful, you pay nothing.
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