A Los Angeles based healthcare provider that is into the service of providing motherhood to woman through innovative treatments has reportedly suffered a ransomware attack leading to data leak of over 400,000 patients.
Planned Parenthood, a non-profit organization that is into reproductive care reacted to the news that the IT service provider, serving it was hit by a cyber attack and that led to the leak of sensitive details such as email IDs, contact info, diagnosis procedure, insurance info, treatment they are seeking and their physical address data.
John Erickson, the spokesperson of Planned Parenthood, admitted the breach and assured that more details about the incident will be released to the media once the investigation gets concluded.
Probably, the threat actors involved in the incident could use the stolen information to launch identity based attacks or could indulge in other fraudulent attacks such as phishing.
With a ransomware attack, the information on the database is encrypted until a ransom is paid. However, in recent times, the threat actors are seen indulging in double extortion tactics, where they first steal data and then encrypt the database until a ransom in millions is paid to them in bitcoins or in other forms of cryptocurrency.
Note- Planned Parenthood is a non-profit organization that offers reproductive healthcare at low or no cost. The said health services provider is a member of International Planned Parenthood Federation and also takes up legal abortions and does them at a very low cost.
