A major Australian IVF provider, Genea, has fallen victim to a ransomware attack, leading to the exposure of sensitive patient information. The overseas group responsible for the breach has reportedly shared screenshots of the stolen data on dark web platforms.
Genea has acknowledged the incident and confirmed that data from its systems has been published online. The ransomware attackers have claimed to have obtained approximately 700GB of data over the past six years, affecting the privacy of many patients.
In response, Genea has secured a court injunction to prevent any further access, use, or distribution of the compromised data. However, the company has been unable to ascertain what specific patient information may already be circulating on the dark web.
In their statement, Genea expressed their deep concern for affected patients, extending an unreserved apology for the distress this breach may cause. They are actively working with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner and the Australian Cyber Security Centre to address the situation.
Following the cyber incident, Genea communicated with patients to inform them about the breach that occurred on 14 February. It was revealed that intruders accessed data from patient management systems, including personal details such as full names, addresses, email addresses, Medicare numbers, medical histories, medication prescriptions, test results, doctor notes, appointment schedules, and emergency contact information.
The company clarified that while they believe personal information may have been compromised, there is currently no evidence indicating that financial data, like credit card details or bank account numbers, has been affected. Investigations continue, and Genea has pledged to keep patients informed of any significant developments.
As one of Australia’s three leading IVF providers, Genea serves thousands of patients across its clinics, making the protection of patient information a critical issue in light of this incident.