Ascension Health

Ascension Health, a Missouri-based hospital system operating 140 hospitals across 19 U.S. states, faced a **May 2024 data breach** exposing the **personal information of over 5 million individuals**. The breach allegedly stemmed from negligent cybersecurity practices, leading to a **proposed class-action lawsuit** for failing to protect sensitive data. Plaintiffs accused Ascension of violating **consumer protection laws in six states**, along with claims of **negligence and negligence per se**. The exposed data—though not explicitly detailed in the article—likely includes **medical, financial, or personally identifiable information (PII)**, given the healthcare context. The breach’s scale and the **legal standing granted by a federal judge** underscore its severity, as it directly threatens **patient trust, regulatory compliance, and potential financial liabilities**. The incident highlights systemic vulnerabilities in healthcare cybersecurity, where data exposures can have **long-term reputational and operational consequences** for providers.

Source: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/ascension-health-patients-advance-lawsuit-over-2024-data-breach

TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/ascensionorg

"id": "asc2293322092425",
"linkid": "ascensionorg",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "5/2024",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization's existence"

{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': '5,000,000+',
                        'industry': 'Healthcare',
                        'location': 'Missouri, USA (operates in 19 states)',
                        'name': 'Ascension Health',
                        'size': '140 hospitals',
                        'type': 'Hospital System'}],
 'data_breach': {'number_of_records_exposed': '5,000,000+',
                 'personally_identifiable_information': 'Yes',
                 'sensitivity_of_data': 'High',
                 'type_of_data_compromised': 'Personal Information'},
 'description': 'Missouri-based Ascension Health faced a proposed class action '
                'alleging negligent failure to protect the personal '
                'information of over 5 million people exposed in a May 2024 '
                'data breach. Plaintiffs claimed violations of consumer '
                'protection laws in six states, negligence, and negligence per '
                'se. The breach affected Ascension, a hospital system with 140 '
                'hospitals across 19 states.',
 'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Significant (class action alleging '
                                       'negligence)',
            'customer_complaints': 'Class action lawsuit filed',
            'data_compromised': ['Personal Information'],
            'identity_theft_risk': 'High (personal information of 5M+ exposed)',
            'legal_liabilities': 'Proposed class action for negligence, '
                                 'negligence per se, and violations of '
                                 'consumer protection laws in six states'},
 'investigation_status': 'Ongoing (class action lawsuit in progress)',
 'references': [{'source': 'US District Court for the Eastern District of '
                           'Missouri (Judge John A. Ross ruling)'}],
 'regulatory_compliance': {'legal_actions': 'Proposed class action lawsuit '
                                            '(negligence, negligence per se, '
                                            'consumer protection violations)',
                           'regulations_violated': ['Consumer Protection Laws '
                                                    '(six states)']},
 'title': 'Ascension Health Data Breach (May 2024)',
 'type': 'Data Breach'}