UNC Hospitals & School of Medicine recently reported a breach in their email system, which occurred on February 1, 2024, due to a phishing attack. An employee from the School of Medicine was deceived into clicking a link from a seemingly trustworthy contact and subsequently tricked into providing a multi-factor authentication (MFA) code, which allowed unauthorized access to their email account. This breach was discovered the following day, and immediate measures were taken to secure the compromised account. However, there is concern that patient information, which may have included sensitive data such as Social Security numbers and health insurance details, was viewed or acquired during the breach.
Upon discovery, UNC Hospitals took swift action to address the breach by securing the affected account and initiating a thorough investigation with the help of a cybersecurity firm. This prompt response ensured that the unauthorized access was contained within 24 hours of the initial compromise. The investigation confirmed that no other university or hospital email accounts or patient information systems were affected.
In response to the breach, UNC Hospitals and the School of Medicine began mailing notification letters to potentially impacted individuals on April 2, 2024, and established a call center to address any concerns related to the incident. These communications aim to inform affected individuals about the breach and the steps being taken to safeguard their information, including the provision of complimentary 12-month credit monitoring services for those whose sensitive information was potentially exposed.
In addition to remedial actions taken following the breach, UNC Hospitals and the School of Medicine are taking significant steps to prevent similar incidents in the future. This includes implementing additional email security measures and evaluating existing policies to strengthen defenses against phishing attacks. The institutions have expressed regret over the incident and are committed to maintaining the trust and security of their patients’ information through continuous improvement of their cybersecurity measures.
