Hospital Data Breach Affects 4.5 Million Patients

No company or industry appears to be safe from cyber attacks. Not even hospitals.

Yesterday, Community Health Systems said information on 4.5 million patients was stolen in a cyber attack that may have originated in China.

The data breach may have impacted anyone who was a patient in a CHS hospital during the last five years. Hackers may have obtained the patient names, birth dates, addresses, telephone and social security numbers. However, in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said no credit card numbers or medical or clinical information were taken.

CHS acknowledged the cyber attack in July and told authorities it eliminated the attackers’ malware from its system and enhanced its defenses against future security attacks.

Community Health Systems is a publicly traded company based in Franklin, Tennessee that owns, operates or leases 206 hospitals in 29 states with approximately 31,100 licensed beds.

The company announced it will provide identity theft protection to all affected consumers.