Corewell Health Breach: Data Security Incident | Rickard & Associates
- A significant data breach at Corewell Health, a major health system, has compromised the personal information of approximately one million patients.
- The incident stemmed from a breach at Welltok, Inc., a software vendor used by Corewell.
- While other organizations nationwide where affected, Corewell Health was the sole entity impacted in Michigan.
Corewell Health suffered a major data breach impacting roughly one million patients,exposing sensitive personal details,confirms Rickard & Associates. This serious incident, stemming from a breach at software vendor Welltok, Inc., potentially compromises names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, and much more. The breach is the fourth largest this year. Corewell Health is actively notifying those affected. Given the increasing frequency of cyberattacks in healthcare, the need for robust security measures, like conducting risk assessments and updating security measures, is now greater than ever. For more insights into this and other data security concerns, see how News Directory 3 is covering the situation. Discover what’s next for those impacted,and how healthcare systems can protect themselves.
Corewell Health Data Breach Exposes Patient Facts
A significant data breach at Corewell Health, a major health system, has compromised the personal information of approximately one million patients. The Corewell Health data breach ranks as the fourth largest this year.
The incident stemmed from a breach at Welltok, Inc., a software vendor used by Corewell. On May 30,2023,hackers gained access to sensitive data,including names,dates of birth,email addresses,phone numbers,medical diagnoses,health insurance details,and Social Security numbers.
While other organizations nationwide where affected, Corewell Health was the sole entity impacted in Michigan.
Corewell Health is taking steps to notify all affected patients via mail.
given the increasing frequency of cyberattacks targeting the healthcare sector, experts recommend that healthcare organizations take proactive measures to safeguard patient data and ensure healthcare data protection.
These measures include:
- Conducting thorough risk assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities.
- Maintaining an up-to-date inventory of all devices and ensuring their security.
- Implementing remote shutdown capabilities for all devices.
- Ensuring firewalls and other security measures are current and effective.
- Developing a extensive breach readiness plan with offsite data backups.
- Providing employees with thorough training on privacy, security, policies, procedures, phishing, ransomware, and the breach readiness plan.
What’s next
Affected individuals should monitor their credit reports and healthcare statements for any signs of fraud or unauthorized activity. Corewell Health is expected to provide further guidance and support to those impacted by the breach.