One of Australia’s leading IVF providers, Genea, has informed patients about the details of a data breach that occurred earlier this year. In a communication from CEO Tim Yeoh, the company outlined the extent of the personal information that was exposed on the dark web as a result of the cyber incident in February.
Former patient Sophie expressed her distress after receiving Genea’s email detailing the breach, which revealed that her full name, date of birth, address, phone number, Medicare number, private health insurance details, and medical information were compromised. She described feelings of anxiety and concern over her data being accessible to cybercriminals and highlighted the frustration with Genea’s minimal communication since the incident was first reported.
Sophie remarked that the email was her first substantial update since being informed in February about the potential breach, and she found the lack of proactive communication from Genea disappointing. She noted that despite the significant sums spent on IVF services, the clinic failed to adequately protect patient information. Currently undergoing treatment at a different clinic, Sophie shared that the breach intensified the emotional strain of her IVF journey.
Having also been affected by previous high-profile data breaches involving Optus and Medibank, Sophie is grappling with renewed worries about her identity security in light of this incident. She voiced her concerns about the potential misuse of her exposed information, lamenting that some critical personal details, such as her date of birth and address, cannot be changed.
Genea has not disclosed how many patients were impacted by the breach but confirmed that their investigation has been completed. The ongoing criminal investigation is being handled by the Australian Federal Police. According to a spokesperson, Genea is beginning to reach out to affected individuals with relevant findings from their investigation and supportive measures for protecting personal information.
The clinic has partnered with IDCARE, a national identity and cyber support service, to offer counselling and assistance to patients free of charge. Furthermore, Genea has established a dedicated call centre and email service to address the concerns of those affected.
Names in this report have been changed to protect privacy.