Ascension Cyberattack Investigation | Data Breach Lawsuits
The Lyon Firm is investigating a suspected cyberattack that has disrupted everyday operations at Ascension, one of the largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the country. The health entity has engaged a cybersecurity firm to assist with efforts to minimize the impact on former and current Ascension patients. Contact our lawyers if you believe your personal information may be compromised by the data security incident.
UPDATE: Ascension has provided a company update regarding the recent cyberattack detected on May 8, and has confirmed that it was a ransomware attack that affected operations at all 142 hospitals. Ascension is working closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Health-ISAC), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and has published a Q&A for patients.
Ascension has not yet announced which ransomware group was behind the attack, though according to CNN sources, it was a Black Basta ransomware attack.
What Happened at Ascension?
Ascension, the largest nonprofit and Catholic health system in the U.S., announced that it detected unusual activity on its IT network, and has been investigating a suspected cyberattack.
On May 9, 2024, Ascension posted a notice confirming that the company is responding to a “cyber security event.” In the warning, Ascension explains that access to certain systems were disrupted and that the company is investigating whether or not any patient information was compromised. If Ascension confirms that patient data was accessed or stolen, they will begin sending out data breach notification letters to impacted individuals.
At the time of writing, the cyberattack was only recently announced and the company was still in the process of bringing their systems back online. If you receive a data breach notification letter from Ascension or any other healthcare system, it is important to understand that you may be at increased risk of medical identity theft and fraud.
Our data breach lawyers are currently involved in numerous data privacy cases, representing plaintiffs nationwide. Health systems have been targeted in recent years, and the impact has been devastating for individuals and families whose data has been stolen and manipulated. Call for a free consultation.
Ascension operates 142 hospitals, 40 senior living facilities, and over 2,600 care sites. It is currently unclear which facilities have been affected, although there have been reports indicating hospitals in multiple states experiencing disruption. Ascension operates in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.
Contact us to learn more about how to protect yourself following a data breach incident, and to discuss potential legal action. We have filed class action data theft lawsuits in several states, and we work to reach a fair settlement to rightly compensate victims of negligent IT security systems.