Texas Retina Associates, the largest ophthalmology practice in Texas, recently reported a cyberattack that compromised sensitive patient data. The breach was discovered on March 27, 2024, after suspicious network activity was detected. Investigations revealed that an unauthorized actor had access to the network from October 8, 2023, until the breach was identified.
The exposed data includes a wide range of personal and medical information, such as names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, Social Security numbers, and detailed medical records. Despite the breach, Texas Retina Associates has stated there is no evidence of misuse of the compromised data. The notification is being issued out of caution.
The practice has reported the incident to the HHS’ Office for Civil Rights, affecting up to 312,867 patients. In response, Texas Retina Associates has implemented enhanced cybersecurity measures, secured its systems, and improved its cybersecurity policies and training.
A helpline has been set up for those affected, operating from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time. However, the breach notice does not mention any complimentary credit monitoring or identity protection services for the impacted individuals.
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