Jefferson Healthcare, a healthcare provider based in Washington State, fell victim to a phishing-based cyberattack on November 9, 2020, which was detected three days later on November 12, 2020. The incident compromised the personal and sensitive data of 2,496 residents, including names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license/ID card numbers, full dates of birth, health insurance details, and medical records. The breach exposed highly confidential information, posing significant risks such as identity theft, financial fraud, and unauthorized access to medical histories. Given the nature of the stolen data—particularly Social Security numbers and medical records—the attack had severe implications for both patient privacy and regulatory compliance (e.g., HIPAA violations). The phishing attack targeted employees, leading to unauthorized access to internal systems where patient data was stored. While the exact financial or operational impact on Jefferson Healthcare was not disclosed, the exposure of such sensitive data typically results in long-term reputational damage, potential lawsuits, regulatory fines, and erosion of patient trust. The incident underscores the critical need for robust cybersecurity training, email filtering, and access controls in healthcare organizations to prevent similar breaches.
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/jefferson-healthcare
"id": "jef949091725",
"linkid": "jefferson-healthcare",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "11/2020",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 2496,
'industry': 'Healthcare',
'location': 'Washington, USA',
'name': 'Jefferson Healthcare',
'type': 'Healthcare Provider'}],
'attack_vector': 'Phishing',
'data_breach': {'data_exfiltration': 'Potential',
'number_of_records_exposed': 2496,
'personally_identifiable_information': True,
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High',
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Personally Identifiable '
'Information (PII)',
'Protected Health Information '
'(PHI)']},
'date_detected': '2020-11-12',
'description': 'The Washington State Office of the Attorney General reported '
'that Jefferson Healthcare experienced a cyberattack '
'(phishing) on November 9, 2020, affecting 2,496 residents. '
'The breach was discovered on November 12, 2020, and it '
"potentially exposed names, Social Security numbers, driver's "
'license or Washington ID card numbers, full dates of birth, '
'health insurance policy or ID numbers, and medical '
'information.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': ['Names',
'Social Security numbers',
"Driver's license or Washington ID card "
'numbers',
'Full dates of birth',
'Health insurance policy or ID numbers',
'Medical information'],
'identity_theft_risk': 'High'},
'initial_access_broker': {'entry_point': 'Phishing (likely email)'},
'references': [{'source': 'Washington State Office of the Attorney General'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'regulations_violated': ['HIPAA (likely, given PHI '
'exposure)'],
'regulatory_notifications': ['Washington State '
'Office of the '
'Attorney General']},
'title': 'Jefferson Healthcare Phishing Cyberattack (2020)',
'type': 'Data Breach'}