Key facts
- Partnered Health experienced a cyber-attack on June 23, affecting 21 clinics across Australia.
- Stolen data includes personal details, Medicare and health insurance information, and sensitive medical records.
A cyber-attack on Partnered Health, an Australian healthcare provider, has potentially exposed the medical records of thousands of patients. The breach, which occurred on June 23, affected 21 clinics, with sensitive data including treatment details and diagnostic results believed to have been stolen.
The potential sale of sensitive medical records on the dark web poses a significant privacy risk to Australians, potentially disrupting lives and offering detailed personal profiles to malicious actors.
Australian healthcare provider Partnered Health has been subjected to a cyber-attack that potentially compromised the medical records of thousands of patients. The breach, which occurred on June 23, affected 21 clinics across cities including Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra. Sensitive medical information, such as treatment details, consultation notes, and diagnostic results, is believed to have been stolen, alongside personal data including Medicare numbers and private health insurance details.
Partnered Health has contacted affected individuals and secured an interim injunction from the New South Wales supreme court to prevent the misuse or publication of the accessed data. However, experts warn that such injunctions are unlikely to deter malicious actors from selling the information on the dark web, where personal medical records can reportedly fetch up to US$250 per record due to their high value and potential for detailed profile building.
The incident has been reported to the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, and law enforcement. This breach follows a pattern of significant data compromises in Australia, including a 2022 incident involving Medibank customer data.
Pick the topics you care about. Get only what matters, on your cadence.