A ransomware attack on Great Plains Regional Medical Center in Elk City, Okla., has compromised the personal information of 133,149 individuals.
The attack occurred between Sept. 5 and Sept. 8, when an unauthorized individual accessed and encrypted files on the hospital's computer systems. Great Plains Regional Medical Center responded by securing its systems and launching an investigation with the assistance of a cybersecurity firm. The hospital has since restored its operations, according to its website.
However, the investigation revealed that some files were copied by the attacker and could not be recovered. The affected files contained a range of patient information, which may include names, demographic details, health insurance information, clinical treatment records, driver's license numbers, and, in some cases, Social Security numbers.
To mitigate the impact, the hospital said it is notifying affected individuals via mail. It is also offering free credit monitoring services to those whose Social Security numbers or driver's license numbers were involved in the breach.