PH TECH, headquartered in Salem, Oregon, empowers healthcare plans by providing comprehensive control over benefits, provider contracts, medical decisions, and care management.
The breach occurred on May 30th and came to light on June 16th when the company notified the Maine Attorney General’s office on July 27th.
PH TECH emerges as a primary victim of the MOVEit cyber attack in this incident, attributed to the Cl0p ransomware syndicate. This breach impacted over 670 entities and more than 40 million individuals globally. Cl0p, a hacking group linked to Russia, has executed large-scale attacks since 2019.
For seamless healthcare management, PH TECH employed third-party software, specifically the Progress MOVEit file transfer application, where in a security vulnerability allowed unauthorized access to personal data.
Data potentially accessed by cyber intruders included:
- First and last names
- Email addresses
- Dates of birth (DOB)
- Authorization details
- Social Security numbers (SSN)
- Diagnosis and procedure codes
- Demographic information (addresses)
- Claim and billing data
- Member and plan ID numbers
PH TECH reported attackers successfully breached servers containing personal records. Swift measures halted system operations to prevent further intrusions.
The company informed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Oregon State Police. Concurrently, PH TECH collaborates with a cybersecurity firm to comprehensively investigate the breach’s mechanics and implement corrective measures.
Despite PH TECH’s belief in no personal data misuse, it suggests affected parties enroll in free IDX identity theft protection services. These services encompass a year of credit monitoring, identity theft safeguards, insurance, and dark web activity monitoring.
The communication also recommends safeguards, including fraud alerts, credit report reviews, security freezes, and preventing unauthorized account openings.
PH TECH emphasized, “You alone can place a fraud alert on your credit report. This protection may delay loan applications.”
Maine’s stringent reporting mandates demand companies disclose cyber attacks affecting residents. The breach notification reveals only 27 of 1.7 million impacted individuals reside in Maine.
Cybercriminals can misuse stolen data for identity theft, phishing, unauthorized purchases, fraudulent credit accounts, and obtaining loans under false pretenses.
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