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Cyber attacks and data breaches on health care services continue this week whereby a Canadian healthcare services company CarePartners faced a data breach in a recent cyber attack. The officials suspect the patients’ data including their health and financial information might have suffered an unauthorized access.

CarePartners Faced Data Breach

CarePartners is a community health care agency based in Ontario, Canada. It also works as a home care service provider to the Local Integration Networks (LHINs) in the vicinity.

According to the press release on Monday, the Ontario-based company CarePartners has been a victim of a cyberattack breaching the data of its patients. At the moment, the extent of the data breach is not known. Nor has the company revealed anything about the type of data breached in this attack.

As explained in their press release the breach happened when the attackers accessed one of the CarePartners’ computers.

“The cyber-attack breached CarePartners’ computer system and as a result, patient and employee information held in that system, including personal health and financial information, has been inappropriately accessed by the perpetrators.”

As informed by the Senior Director of Communications at the Central Local Health Integration Network, CarePartners became aware of the cyber attack on June 11, 2018. While the LHIN came to know about it on June 12, 2018.

CarePartners’ Online System Suspended After Data Breach

The company has shut down its online referral system until the data breach is ‘fully contained’ and the vulnerabilities fixed. They have also taken additional security measures, and have hired a cybersecurity firm to investigate the matter.

“Acting immediately in partnership with Ontario’s LHINs, CarePartners took direct steps to prevent additional exposure and close vulnerabilities. CarePartners retained Herjavec Group (HG), a leading cybersecurity firm, to contain and determine the extent of the breach. The Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner and law enforcement officials have also been contacted and engaged.”

Nonetheless, they assure no compromise on patient care during this situation. They also pledge to keep working towards the security of information of its clients and employees.

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