JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Patients of North Florida OB-GYN may have had their personal information breached via a virus cyberattack at the medical office earlier this year.
A letter was sent out to all patients to notify them that the virus hack attack may have compromised electronic files containing personal or medical information.
North Florida OB-GYN said in the letter dated July 27 that it became aware that a portion of its computer systems was affected by a cyber incident that may have begun on or before April 29.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation was brought in to investigate and the systems were shut down, and supervisors with the doctor's office said they recovered all the affected files and have taken action to strengthen security safeguards to prevent future breaches.
Patient information affected by the computer breach includes name, date of birth, Social Security number, employment information, health insurance and diagnosis and treatment information. According to the company, there is no evidence to date that any unauthorized person has actually viewed, retrieved, or copies any of medical or personal information.
North Florida OB-GYN said the affected computer systems did not contain credit or debit card, or financial account information.
Christopher Hamer, an internet networking security consultant, said patients shouldn't be too concerned.
"From this incident directly, probably not," he said. "With the amount of information that is collected on us on a daily basis and the lax security that surrounds a lot of it, we have to be concerned all the time that our information is being mishandled."
Hamer says it’s highly unlikely any personal information left the medical offices.
"It is out of an abundance of caution and care for the customers that they are notifying people that this is a possibility," Hamer said.