Privacy of nearly 58,500 people breached in 2021 cyberattack on N.L. health care
More than 58,000 people in Newfoundland and Labrador had their private data exposed by the hackers behind a cyberattack on the province's health-care system last year.
Eastern Health, the province's largest health authority, said today that a review of a network drive accessed by the hackers is now complete, and it found that data belonging to about 58,200 patients was breached.
A statement from the health authority says another 280 staff or former staff members were also affected by the cyberattack, which was discovered on Oct. 30, 2021.
Eastern Health says the hackers accessed social insurance numbers belonging to fewer than 20 patients and banking information belonging to fewer than five patients.
Meanwhile, the office of the provincial information and privacy commissioner says its investigation into the attack won't be completed until March of 2023.
The commissioner previously said he expected to complete a report by October, but spokesman Sean Murray said in an email Wednesday that the office is now seeking help from a technical consultant.
The cyberattack knocked out information technology systems in the province's largest health authority, forcing officials to cancel thousands of appointments, including cancer care.
The Newfoundland and Labrador government has been tight-lipped about the cyberattack, refusing to say what type of attack occurred and what its motive was, or whether ransom was demanded. However, several cybersecurity experts have said the incident has all the markings of a ransomware attack, in which hackers encrypt or steal data to hold it hostage until a ransom is paid.
Government officials have defended their silence by noting that several investigations into the attack are underway, including the information and privacy commissioner's probe.
Murray says the technical consultant will ensure any findings related to technological aspects of the attack will be correct.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.