A cancer patient whose nude medical photos and records were posted online after they were stolen by a ransomware gang, has sued her healthcare provide

Cancer patient sues hospital after ransomware gang leaks her nude medical photos

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2023-03-16 23:00:06

A cancer patient whose nude medical photos and records were posted online after they were stolen by a ransomware gang, has sued her healthcare provider for allowing the "preventable" and "seriously damaging" leak.

The proposed class-action lawsuit stems from a February intrusion during which malware crew BlackCat (also known as ALPHV) broke into one of the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) physician's networks, stole images of patients undergoing radiation oncology treatment along with other sensitive health records belonging to more than 75,000 people, and then demanded a ransom payment to decrypt the files and prevent it from posting the health data online.

The Pennsylvania health care group, one of the largest in the US state, oversees 13 hospitals, 28 health centers, and dozens of other physicians' clinics, pharmacies, rehab centers, imaging and lab services. LVHN refused to pay the ransom, and earlier this month BlackCat started leaking patient info, including images of at least two breast cancer patients, naked from the waist up.

"This unconscionable criminal act takes advantage of patients receiving cancer treatment, and LVHN condemns this despicable behavior," LVHN spokesperson Brian Downs said at the time.