Hackers hit Planned Parenthood, expose 400,000 patients' records

Planned Parenthood Los Angeles is notifying about 400,000 patients that their protected health information was exposed during a cyberattack, The Wall Street Journal reported Dec. 1. 

Hackers inflicted malicious software on the reproductive healthcare provider's network between Oct. 9-17 and then extracted files from its systems, according to the report. After discovering the attack on Oct. 17, Planned Parenthood took its systems offline, alerted law enforcement and launched an investigation. 

Patient information exposed by the breach includes names, addresses, birthdates, insurance details, and clinical data such as diagnosis and procedure information, according to a notification letter sent to patients filed with the attorney general of California. 

Planned Parenthood said there is no evidence that information exposed by the attack has been used for fraud, according to the letter. 

A Planned Parenthood Los Angeles spokesperson did not confirm whether the cyberattack involved a ransom request, according to the Journal. The incident only affected Planned Parenthood's Los Angeles location; Planned Parenthood affiliates operate more than 600 health centers across the U.S.

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