McLaren Healthcare Notifies Over 700,000 Patients of Ransomware Incident
McLaren Healthcare, headquartered in Grand Blanc, Michigan, recently sent out notification letters to 743,131 patients regarding a ransomware incident that occurred between July 17 and August 3, 2024. This incident exposed personal information and protected health information of the affected individuals.
Why It Matters
The compromised information may include names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, medical details, and health insurance information, as outlined in data breach documents filed by McLaren. Following a forensic investigation conducted on May 5, the health system revealed that patients at its Karmanos Cancer Centers were also impacted by the breach.
Consumer privacy advocate Paul Bischoff from Comparitech emphasized the importance for patients and staff to take proactive measures to safeguard their finances and identities in light of the security breach.
Although McLaren did not disclose the identity of the threat actors in the notification letters, Bischoff pointed out that the alleged perpetrator, Inc Ransomware, has targeted numerous hospitals and clinics in the past. Bischoff highlighted the vulnerabilities that organizations with non-IT staff and internet-facing services face, making them susceptible to cyberattacks through phishing and software loopholes.
The Larger Trend
Following last year’s cyberattack, McLaren Healthcare experienced disruptions in its delivery operations, leading to the postponement of some elective surgeries and manual chart updates by providers. Despite the challenges, McLaren managed to restore its platforms ahead of schedule, allowing all functions at its hospitals, cancer centers, and outpatient clinics to resume operations by August 30.
McLaren had previously fallen victim to the ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware group two years ago, resulting in the theft of 2.2 million patients’ PHI. Despite the FBI’s efforts to dismantle BlackCat by shutting down its darknet infrastructure, the group resurfaced in 2024 and claimed responsibility for the massive data breach in the Change Healthcare attack.
Ransomware attacks have imposed significant financial burdens on healthcare organizations, with U.S. entities facing $21.9 billion in downtime costs since 2018. McLaren is taking proactive steps to enhance security measures and provide additional training to its employees to prevent future incidents.
Final Thoughts
McLaren Healthcare’s swift response to the ransomware incident underscores the importance of cybersecurity vigilance in the healthcare sector. By prioritizing data protection and implementing robust security protocols, organizations can mitigate the risks associated with cyber threats and safeguard patient information.
Andrea Fox is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.
Email: [email protected]
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.
