Ransomware attack at third party exposes 2,254 sleep study patients' data at Adelaide Hospital
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A data breach has impacted thousands of sleep study patients at the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide following a ransomware attack against Compumedics, a third-party provider of sleep study software and equipment.
SA Health Chief Executive Robyn Lawrence confirmed that the ransomware attack targeted Compumedics' systems directly, and claims there is no evidence that SA Health's own IT infrastructure was compromised. After learning of the attack, SA Health immediately suspended access to Compumedics software and related devices from their network and engaged an external cybersecurity organization to verify the safety of their systems.
The exposed data includes:
- Names
- Addresses
- Phone numbers
- Birth dates
- Limited clinical information
The breach exposed personal information of 2,254 patients who participated in sleep studies at the hospital since 2018.
SA Health reports that no financial information, Medicare numbers, or bank account details were accessed during the breach. According to Compumedics, the primary risks to affected patients are identity theft and potential scams.
The Women's and Children's Hospital was the only public hospital in South Australia impacted by this breach. SA Health is working with Compumedics to notify all affected individuals, with notification letters being sent to patients. Both organizations have established dedicated helplines for patients seeking more information: SA Health at (08) 7111 3699 and Compumedics at (03) 8420 7300.
