In the past week, authorities were alerted to four separate data breaches affecting more than 560,000 individuals across various healthcare organizations. The breaches were disclosed by Hillcrest Convalescent Center, Gastroenterology Associates of Central Florida, Community Care Alliance, and Sunflower Medical Group. Among these incidents, Sunflower Medical Group, a Kansas-based healthcare services provider, suffered the most significant breach in terms of the number of affected individuals.
The breach at Sunflower Medical Group, discovered on January 7, 2025, marks the largest healthcare data breach disclosed last week. The organization learned of unauthorized access to its systems beginning December 15, 2024. Hackers gained access to a wide array of sensitive personal information, including names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, medical data, and health insurance details.
The attack has been attributed to the Rhysida ransomware group, who claimed responsibility for the breach and boasted about stealing over 3 terabytes of files. According to their statement, the group stole the personal data of approximately 400,000 people. However, Sunflower Medical Group clarified that only 220,000 individuals were impacted.
Hillcrest Convalescent Center, a nursing home and rehabilitation facility based in North Carolina, reported suspicious activity on its network in late June 2024. Upon investigation, it was found that cybercriminals had accessed the organization’s systems and exfiltrated critical data, including names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, financial account details, government-issued IDs, medical information, and health insurance details. The breach at Hillcrest Convalescent Center affected over 106,000 individuals.
In April 2024, Gastroenterology Associates of Central Florida, which operates under the name Center for Digestive Health, discovered a breach in its IT network. The investigation revealed that the hackers may have obtained sensitive personal information such as names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and health data of more than 122,000 individuals. The BianLian ransomware group claimed responsibility for this attack, which was confirmed in mid-May 2024.
The breach at Community Care Alliance, a healthcare provider based in Rhode Island, was detected in early July 2024. After a comprehensive investigation, it was determined that cybercriminals had accessed the system and stolen a range of sensitive data, including names, addresses, birth dates, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, health diagnoses, lab results, insurance, and treatment information.
Community Care Alliance reported that around 115,000 individuals were impacted by this breach, and the Rhysida ransomware group claimed responsibility for the attack in late July 2024.
These incidents underscore a growing threat to the healthcare sector, both organizations and individuals should prioritize securing their systems to prevent further breaches. While no system can be entirely immune to cyber threats, a proactive approach to cybersecurity, including regular system audits, employee training, and incident response planning, can help mitigate risks. For affected healthcare organizations, offering support such as credit monitoring services and clear communication, can help mitigate the consequences for patients and demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding their information.