Latest news with #RobynLawrence
News.com.au
24-04-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
‘Dark web': Major data breach for Aussie sleep study patients
The names, addresses and other sensitive data of sleep study patients at an Australian women and children's hospital have been leaked after a ransomware attack. South Australia Health confirmed on Thursday the breach of data impacted patients at the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide. A letter sent by technology provider Compumedics revealed the cyber attack took place on March 22 and the data of patients dating back to 2018 had been accessed. More than 2200 patients were 'likely to have been among those impacted', according to SA Health. Chief executive Dr Robyn Lawrence said the breach 'impacted Compumedics software directly and there is no evidence of a breach of any SA Health operated IT system'. 'As soon as Compumedics revealed the initial national ransomware attack we took immediate action to suspend access to the Compumedics software and related devices from our network,' she said. 'Now as soon as we have been made aware that South Australian sleep study patients are likely to be affected, we have taken immediate action to verify that information, notify patients and the public.' Compumedics was contracted by SA Health to provide sleep, brain and other monitoring applications. 'WCHN has taken immediate action to remove the Compumedics software and related devices from the network,' SA Health said in a statement. Compumedics director David Lawson said in a letter to patients the company worked to contain data on the day of the breach but 'some of our files are likely to have been stolen and could be published on the dark web'. 'We sincerely apologise that this incident happened and any impact on you and thank you for your understanding as we continue to work to respond,' he wrote. Dr Lawrence said during a press conference it was 'incredibly disappointing that a third-party provider's security systems were not sufficient to protect our patients' data from outside access'.
Perth Now
24-04-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
Sleep study patients' records leaked in ransomware hack
The personal details of more than 2000 patients who took part in a sleep study with a public hospital have been breached in a ransomware attack. The attack on Compumedics, an ASX-listed medical diagnostics company, compromised the third-party data of 2254 patients at the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide. SA Health chief executive Robyn Lawrence said her department was notified on April 17 by the medical company, which had experienced a critical breach in late March. Those affected were patients who used the inpatient sleep service at the 295-bed hospital since 2018, the department said. "As soon as Compumedics revealed the initial national ransomware attack we took immediate action to suspend access to the Compumedics software and related devices from our network," Dr Lawrence said in a statement on Thursday. "All Compumedics devices and software were disconnected from SA Health systems and an external cyber security organisation was engaged to help verify the safety of our systems." She reassured patients that SA Health's IT systems were not affected, with the data stored in the third party's servers. The medical firm told SA Health no financial information, Medicare numbers or bank account details had been taken, but names, addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth and limited clinical information were accessed. "Compumedics has advised that identity theft and potential scams are the biggest risk to patients impacted," SA Health said. AAP has sought comment from Compumedics.
ABC News
24-04-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Sleep study patients' personal data accessed in ransomware attack, SA Health says
Personal data from more than 2,000 patients involved in sleep studies at Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital has been accessed in a ransomware attack, SA Health says. In a statement released on Thursday, SA Health said a third-party company known as Compumedics, which provides the sleep study software and equipment, had advised that the files of 2,254 patients who had used the inpatient sleep service at the hospital since 2018 were "likely to have been among those impacted". They said Compumedics produces software and equipment for sleep studies in hospitals internationally, including at the Women's and Children's Hospital (WCH). Dr Robyn Lawrence says SA Health took "immediate action" once notified of the breach. ( ABC News ) SA Health chief executive officer Robyn Lawrence said the breach had "impacted Compumedics software directly and there is no evidence of a breach of any SA Health operated IT system". "As soon as Compumedics revealed the initial national ransomware attack we took immediate action to suspend access to the Compumedics software and related devices from our network," she said. " Now as soon as we have been made aware that South Australian sleep study patients are likely to be affected, we have taken immediate action to verify that information, notify patients and the public. " SA Health said it was helping Compumedics to notify those affected, with letters being sent today. The data accessed included names, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates and "limited clinical information", but that no financial information, Medicare number or bank account details had been taken. "Compumedics has advised that identity theft and potential scams are the biggest risk to patients impacted," the SA Health statement said. SA Health said the WCH was the only public hospital in the state which had been impacted and that an external cybersecurity organisation was then engaged to help verify the safety of the SA Health systems. An SA Health helpline for affected patients has been established on (08) 7111 3699, while the Compumedics contact number for affected patients is (03) 8420 7300.
