The Maryland Office of the Attorney General disclosed a ransomware attack targeting Upstate HomeCare in November 2021, resulting in a severe data breach. The incident exposed highly sensitive personal information, including names, dates of birth, addresses, and Social Security numbers of affected individuals. While the exact number of victims remains undisclosed, the compromised data poses significant risks, such as identity theft, financial fraud, and long-term reputational harm to the organization. Ransomware attacks of this nature often encrypt critical systems, disrupting operations and forcing entities to either restore from backups (if available) or negotiate with cybercriminals. The exposure of Social Security numbers a key target for malicious actors heightens the potential for fraudulent activities, including unauthorized credit applications, tax fraud, or medical identity theft. Given the healthcare sector’s regulatory obligations (e.g., HIPAA in the U.S.), such breaches may also trigger legal penalties, compliance investigations, and erosion of patient trust. The attack underscores the growing threat of ransomware in healthcare, where operational disruptions and data exfiltration can have life-altering consequences for both providers and patients.
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/alliance-health-at-home-upstate
"id": "all956091725",
"linkid": "alliance-health-at-home-upstate",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "11/2021",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization’s existence"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'Unknown',
'industry': 'Healthcare',
'location': 'Maryland, USA',
'name': 'Upstate HomeCare',
'type': 'Healthcare Provider'}],
'data_breach': {'number_of_records_exposed': 'Unknown',
'personally_identifiable_information': ['Names',
'Dates of Birth',
'Addresses',
'Social Security '
'Numbers'],
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High',
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Personally Identifiable '
'Information (PII)',
'Protected Health Information '
'(PHI)']},
'date_publicly_disclosed': '2021-11-04',
'description': 'The Maryland Office of the Attorney General reported a data '
'breach involving Upstate HomeCare on November 4, 2021. The '
'breach was caused by a ransomware attack that exposed '
'personal information including names, dates of birth, '
'addresses, and Social Security numbers, among other data '
'types.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': ['Names',
'Dates of Birth',
'Addresses',
'Social Security Numbers'],
'identity_theft_risk': 'High (PII exposed)'},
'ransomware': {'data_encryption': 'Likely (ransomware attack)'},
'references': [{'date_accessed': '2021-11-04',
'source': 'Maryland Office of the Attorney General'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'regulations_violated': ['Potential HIPAA (Health '
'Insurance Portability and '
'Accountability Act) '
'violations'],
'regulatory_notifications': ['Maryland Office of '
'the Attorney '
'General']},
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Public disclosure via Maryland Office '
'of the Attorney General'},
'title': 'Upstate HomeCare Ransomware Attack and Data Breach',
'type': 'Data Breach, Ransomware Attack'}