Ankle and Foot Physicians and Surgeons PLLC

On April 25, 2021, Ankle and Foot Physicians and Surgeons PLLC fell victim to a ransomware attack, leading to a significant data breach reported on June 28, 2021, by the Washington State Office of the Attorney General. The incident compromised sensitive personal information of 4,996 individuals, including 4,968 patients and 28 employees. The exposed data included names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, which are highly sensitive identifiers that can facilitate identity theft, financial fraud, or other malicious activities.The breach posed severe risks to both patients and employees, as the leaked information could be exploited for fraudulent purposes, such as opening unauthorized credit accounts, filing fake tax returns, or committing medical identity theft. Given the nature of the data (Social Security numbers and medical patient records), the breach had long-term repercussions for the affected individuals, potentially damaging their financial stability and personal security. The involvement of ransomware further escalated the severity, as it indicated a deliberate and sophisticated cyberattack aimed at extorting the organization while exfiltrating critical data.The incident underscored vulnerabilities in the company’s cybersecurity defenses, raising concerns about compliance with data protection regulations like HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). The breach not only jeopardized patient trust but also exposed the organization to legal liabilities, regulatory fines, and reputational harm.

Source: https://www.atg.wa.gov/data-breach-notifications | https://data.wa.gov/resource/sb4j-ca4h.json?id=10491

TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/ankle-foot-care-specialists-pllc

"id": "ank026091825",
"linkid": "ankle-foot-care-specialists-pllc",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "4/2021",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization’s existence"

{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 4996,
                        'industry': 'healthcare',
                        'location': 'Washington, USA',
                        'name': 'Ankle and Foot Physicians and Surgeons PLLC',
                        'type': 'healthcare provider'}],
 'data_breach': {'number_of_records_exposed': 4996,
                 'personally_identifiable_information': ['names',
                                                         'dates of birth',
                                                         'Social Security '
                                                         'numbers'],
                 'sensitivity_of_data': 'high',
                 'type_of_data_compromised': ['personally identifiable '
                                              'information (PII)']},
 'date_detected': '2021-04-25',
 'date_publicly_disclosed': '2021-06-28',
 'description': 'On June 28, 2021, the Washington State Office of the Attorney '
                'General reported a data breach at Ankle and Foot Physicians '
                'and Surgeons PLLC due to a ransomware attack that occurred on '
                'April 25, 2021. The attack affected 4,996 individuals (4,968 '
                'patients and 28 employees) and involved names, dates of '
                'birth, and Social Security numbers.',
 'impact': {'data_compromised': ['names',
                                 'dates of birth',
                                 'Social Security numbers'],
            'identity_theft_risk': 'high'},
 'references': [{'source': 'Washington State Office of the Attorney General'}],
 'regulatory_compliance': {'regulatory_notifications': ['Washington State '
                                                        'Office of the '
                                                        'Attorney General']},
 'title': 'Data Breach at Ankle and Foot Physicians and Surgeons PLLC Due to '
          'Ransomware Attack',
 'type': 'ransomware'}