NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — We all want to make sure our personal information stays safe. This is especially true among groups that collect large amounts of personal information, such as the medical industry.
That's why we're letting you know about a cyberattack that affected a large healthcare system that operates two large hospitals in Nashville.
Ascension says it will be dealing with the effects of this cybersecurity attack “for some time.”
The system that doctors use to electronically view medical records has been affected, and some non-essential medical procedures, tests and appointments have been suspended.
Ascension, which operates both St. Thomas West Hospital and Midtown Hospital in Nashville, said it began becoming aware of the cyberattack on Wednesday.
If you have an appointment, you will be asked to bring a note of your symptoms along with a list of your current prescriptions and prescription numbers.
Scott Augenbaum, a former FBI agent and cybersecurity expert, said medical institutions are one of the top targets for cyber thieves because they collect large amounts of personal information such as names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers. He says there is.
He said hospitals and other health care industry organizations are losing billions of dollars nationwide because they don't practice what Scott calls proper cyber hygiene.
“If your healthcare facility doesn't have a password of at least 12 characters, your patient information is at risk,” Scott says. “Even if the password is long and he doesn't have something like two-factor authentication, a cybercriminal will still steal the username and password. That two-factor authentication protects so much patient information. That’s what happens.”
Ascension says it appreciates the patience of all its patients as it works to get its systems back online. You can read Ascension's full statement here.
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