2 data breaches—geographically distant yet chronologically close—reported in radiology

Radiology practices in Arizona and Texas have been hit by hackers.

The affected practices are Radiology Ltd. in Tucson and Gateway Diagnostic Imaging in Dallas-Fort Worth, according to items posted Sept. 6 by the regulatory observer site JD Supra.com.

Both practices are partner companies of Raleigh, N.C.-based US Radiology Specialists.

While there’s no immediate indication the unlawful server entries were connected, both were discovered Dec. 24 after being initially breached Dec. 17.

JD Supra sources the information on both breaches to complaints the practices filed with the Montana attorney general’s office on Sept. 2:  

  1. [A]n unauthorized party was able to gain access to the Radiology Ltd. network between December 17 and December 24, 2021. The [practice’s] investigation … revealed that the files that were accessible to the unauthorized party contained sensitive patient information.”
  2. [O]n December 24, Gateway Diagnostic Imaging detected a security incident involving the network the company uses to store patient information. … As a result of this investigation, Gateway confirmed that an unauthorized party was able to gain access to certain files containing sensitive patient information between December 17, 2021 and December 24, 2021.”

Both practices responded quickly, securing their respective networks, notifying law enforcement and working with cybersecurity experts to understand the nature and extent of the breaches, according to the accounts posted on the outlet.

Both practices also notified potentially affected patients, letting them know the hackers may have gathered names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, health insurance information and other data related to services received from the practice.

The author of the items posted at JD Supra is Richard Console Jr., an attorney whose firm specializes in personal injury law and has offices in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Read the item on Radiology Ltd. here and the one on Gateway Diagnostic Imaging here.

Dave Pearson

Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.

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