Equinox, a New York State health and human services organization, has begun notifying over 21 thousand clients and staff that cyber criminals stole th

Healthcare org Equinox notifies 21K patients and staff of data theft

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2024-11-20 05:30:03

Equinox, a New York State health and human services organization, has begun notifying over 21 thousand clients and staff that cyber criminals stole their health, financial, and personal information in a "data security incident" nearly seven months ago.

Adding insult to injury, it appears the LockBit ransomware gang – which was supposed to have been shut down at the time of the incident – may be to blame.

Equinox provides mental health and addiction services, domestic violence support, food and housing, and other community services for kids, adults, and families in New York state's capital region. It has ten locations, including residential facilities, and serves 3,500 people annually.

On Friday, it began sending notification letters to 21,565 clients and employees, alerting them that scumbags stole digital files containing their personal info – name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, driver's license or other government identification number, passport number, financial account information, health insurance information, medical treatment or diagnosis information, and/or medication-related information.

The incident, according to a copy of the letter on the Equinox website, occurred on April 29 and disrupted the org's network access. Equinox says it "immediately" secured its IT environment, hired a top-notch cyber security firm, and started an investigation.