SickKids Hospital Affected in BORN Ontario Data Breach Impacting 3.4 Million

SickKids Hospital Affected in BORN Ontario Data Breach Impacting 3.4 Million: SickKids Hospital, a leading Canadian pediatric institution, has revealed its involvement in the recent data breach at BORN Ontario. This breach, which affected a staggering 3.4 million individuals, was initiated through the exploitation of a zero-day vulnerability in Progress MOVEit Transfer software.

SickKids, like other healthcare providers, shares critical health data related to pregnancy, birth, and newborn care with BORN Ontario.

Key Takeaways on SickKids Hospital Affected in BORN Ontario Data Breach:

• SickKids Hospital Affected: SickKids Hospital, renowned for pediatric care, disclosed its connection to the BORN Ontario data breach, emphasizing its role in sharing vital health information.
• Massive Data Breach: The BORN Ontario data breach impacted 3.4 million individuals due to the exploitation of a zero-day vulnerability, posing significant privacy concerns.
• Shared Health Information: SickKids and various healthcare providers contribute personal health data to BORN Ontario, facilitating critical insights into pregnancy, birth, and childhood care.

The BORN Ontario Data Breach

SickKids Hospital is one of several Ontario healthcare providers that collaborate with BORN Ontario, a registry focused on perinatal and child health data in the province. This partnership involves sharing personal health information related to pregnancy, birth, and newborn care.

The recent BORN Ontario data breach, affecting 3.4 million individuals, resulted from the exploitation of a known zero-day vulnerability in Progress MOVEIt Transfer software.

SickKids’ Connection to the Breach

SickKids Hospital, acknowledging its involvement with BORN Ontario, expressed concern regarding the potential impact on its patients and associates.

While exact numbers remain undisclosed, SickKids stated that it shares health data related to vital healthcare encounters, emphasizing the significance of this information for lifelong health outcomes.

Data Exposed in the Breach

Individuals impacted by the BORN Ontario data breach had their personal information compromised, including full names, home addresses, postal codes, dates of birth, and health card numbers.

Depending on the care received, additional data such as dates of service, lab test results, pregnancy risk factors, birth types, procedures, and pregnancy outcomes may also have been exposed.

BORN’s Response and Patient Outreach

BORN Ontario has taken steps to inform affected individuals about the repercussions of the data breach through a dedicated web page. SickKids Hospital directed its patients and associates to this resource to determine whether they had been affected.

Broader Implications

SickKids Hospital’s revelation highlights the potential for other healthcare providers to be similarly impacted by the BORN Ontario data breach. In the coming weeks, more disclosures from healthcare institutions may emerge in response to this significant security incident.

Past Security Incidents

Notably, SickKids Hospital faced cybersecurity challenges in the past, including a ransomware attack by the LockBit group.

The hospital received a “free decryptor” from the attackers, who apologized for targeting a medical facility, attributing it to an affiliate’s mistake.

Conclusion

The BORN Ontario data breach underscores the critical importance of safeguarding healthcare data. As the impact ripples across healthcare providers like SickKids Hospital, the need for robust cybersecurity measures in the healthcare sector becomes increasingly evident.

Vigilance and collaboration are essential in addressing these evolving threats.

About SickKids Hospital: SickKids Hospital, officially known as The Hospital for Sick Children, is a renowned pediatric healthcare facility in Canada, dedicated to providing specialized care and research in child health.