Confirmation today that three out of the province’s four regional health authorities have been affected by a privacy breach, stemming from what’s being described as one of the largest cyber attacks in the province’s history.
The personal health information of patients who have registered through Central Health – dating back 13 years – has been breached, with the possibility that employee data may also have been affected.
Central Health CEO Andrée Robichaud confirmed the information this afternoon.
She says some personal health information including name, address, MCP number and physician name is included.
She says they believe that employee data may also have been breached, but that has not yet been confirmed.
Justice Minister John Hogan says investigations are ongoing.
He says based on those investigations to-date, they understand that certain data was accessed, and the investigation is focusing on the impact of that access to determine what – if any – data was taken.
“Access is different than exfiltration”, says Hogan.
To date, they have no evidence that the information has been misused.
Government officials continue to be guarded in their comments surrounding the cyber attack while providing public information on its impacts.
Yesterday, Health Minister John Haggie indicated that there is a reason for the measured responses being provided to questions surrounding the cyber attack.
“We’re trying to be as open and transparent as possible with the residents of the province, but we also need to be cautious about the third party, watching literally, what we’re doing as we’re speaking now.”
Minister Hogan reiterated the same at the start of today’s public briefing.
“Please know” he said, “that the information and language we use is deliberate and intentional.”
Haggie today told VOCM’s Brian Callahan that the information being revealed publicly is more than likely being relayed to those responsible for the attack.
“What we let slip now, could actually lead them to make the situation worse, or slow our attempts at remediation – or both.”