PC Virus Attacks IU Health Goshen Hospital Server

A Health Goshen Hospital in northern Indiana has issued an alert to job applicants as well as patients, numbering over 12,800 that a PC-virus might've illicitly allowed access into their private data, thus reported Indianapolis POST dated February 1, 2012.

The virus, says Spokeswoman Melanie McDonald on behalf of Goshen Hospital, came under detection on 22nd December 2011. At that time, the hospital hired one Internet security agency, but that agency couldn't determine if there'd been access to any information, she explained. Chicago Tribune published this on January 31, 2012.

Meanwhile, IU Health Goshen stated that data stored on the infected computer server included personal details like name, SSN (social security number) and address of those who sent work applications through the Net. Other information stored as well were pre-registration details comprising insurance data, SSN, and medical service classifications related to patients who sent in filled out e-forms for outpatient processes or the birthing section.

Nevertheless, according to IU Health Goshen, the detailed e-records of patients' medical issues continued to stay secured. That was because those data's storehouse was some other server, which wasn't put online; consequently, it wasn't chanced with virus or hacking assaults.

Furthermore, McDonald stated that letters were being dispatched from the hospital to a large group of 12,374 job applicants of the many years gone by along with up to 500 patients that submitted pre-registration online forms in connection with outpatient procedures, all of whose data might've got compromised.

And though it isn't yet clear whether any sensitive or personal information has really been accessed, still IU Health Goshen is providing a year's credit monitoring free of cost, to every victim, via Equifax.

Additionally McDonald stated that IU Health Goshen was as well managing the expenses of ID-theft insurance and credit monitoring for the forthcoming 12 months incase anyone's private data were affected.

Conclusively, McDonald said that the hospital had decided to incur the above expenses as it realized that the responsibility was eventually its own, adding that it wished to be cent percent certain that should any information gotten leaked out, it would act towards its rectification.

Related article: PC-Virus of 2005 Threatening Japanese Bank Accountholders, Warns Symantec

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