Hacker phishes hospital employees using co-worker’s email

A hacker got into an Ohio hospital employee’s email and attempted to trick the staffer’s co-workers into giving up their personal information.

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Canton, Ohio-based Aultman Hospital said it discovered the breach April 24, when the phishing emails came from the employee’s account without the person’s knowledge, according to a June notice. The hospital secured the account and determined it had likely been accessed from April 22 to April 24.

Aultman Hospital said the hack was limited to the one staffer’s email and did not breach its EHR or disrupt care or operations. The hospital said the phishing scheme was the likely purpose of the hack but can’t rule out the possibility that emails and attachments in the employee’s account were accessed. Those included patient names, dates of birth, addresses, diagnoses and treatment information.

The hospital began notifying affected patients June 21.

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