Mass General Hospital Breach: 4,300 Records Hacked

Posted: June 30, 2016 to News.

Tags: Data Breach, Digital Forensics, Malware

“Massachusetts General Hospital is deeply committed to the security and confidentiality of our patients’ information, including any such information maintained by our third-party vendors.” That's the apology issued by Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston following a data breach that netted a hacker 4,300 patient records. The data thief accessed the files through a third party vendor, Patterson Dental Supply, Inc. The good news is that the hacker wasn't able to access Mass General's systems, but it goes to show that your security is only as good as the weakest link, including the security used by vendors. Mass General first discovered that an unauthorized user had accessed the data almost five months ago in early February and reported it to the authorities, but they were told to hold off on notifying victims and the public while the investigation was ongoing. That finished in late May and Mass General began notifications as soon as they could.

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Craig Petronella

CEO, Founder & AI Architect, Petronella Technology Group

Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, compliance, and digital forensics. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner credential (RP-1372) issued by the Cyber AB, is an NC Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner (License #604180-DFE), and completed MIT Professional Education programs in AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. Craig also holds CompTIA Security+, CCNA, and Hyperledger certifications.

He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author of 15+ books on cybersecurity and compliance, host of the Encrypted Ambition podcast (95+ episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon), and a cybersecurity keynote speaker with 200+ engagements at conferences, law firms, and corporate boardrooms. Craig serves as Contributing Editor for Cybersecurity at NC Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine and is a guest lecturer at NCCU School of Law. He has served as a digital forensics expert witness in federal and state court cases involving cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, SIM-swap attacks, and data breaches.

Under his leadership, Petronella Technology Group has served 2,500+ clients, maintained a zero-breach record among compliant clients, earned a BBB A+ rating every year since 2003, and been featured as a cybersecurity authority on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and WRAL. The company leverages SOC 2 Type II certified platforms and specializes in AI implementation, managed cybersecurity, CMMC/HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance, and digital forensics for businesses across the United States.

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Mass General Hospital Breach: 4,300 Records Hacked

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