Miami-based healthcare administrator and managed care solutions provider Independent Living Systems (ILS) suffered a massive data breach last July, which impacted over 4.2 million individuals.
According to the latest reports, the Independent Living Systems breach is among the largest healthcare breaches of 2023, following the same pattern we saw in 2022.
The data breach occurred between June 30 and July 5, 2022, when threat actors infiltrated ILS systems. This allowed them to gain access to the personal information of 4,226,508 individuals. The stolen data included their full names, Social Security numbers, medical and health insurance details, and tax identification numbers.
On March 14, Independent Living Systems issued an official statement addressing the data breach. “On July 5, 2022, ILS experienced an incident involving the inaccessibility of certain computer systems on its network. Through our response efforts, ILS learned that an unauthorized actor obtained access to certain ILS systems between June 30 and July 5, 2022.”
They further said, “During that period, some information stored on the ILS network was acquired by the unauthorized actor, and other information was accessible and potentially viewed.”
Independent Living Systems data breach explained
Independent Living Systems offers various services, including care management, pharmacy benefits management, and network management, to help individuals and organizations manage healthcare costs and improve health outcomes.
It also works with health plans, government agencies, and other healthcare organizations to provide customized solutions and improve access to healthcare services for individuals across the United States.
ILS notified the Office of the Maine Attorney General about the breach, moreover, some affected individuals were also informed on September 2. However, it was on January 17 that the internal review of affected individuals or entities was finalized.
Independent Living Systems data breach and the rise of healthcare hackers
The Cyber Express team has reached out to Independent Living Systems (ILS), but is yet to receive an official response from the company.
In 2023, it has become imperative that data breaches are a serious concern, particularly in the healthcare industry, where sensitive personal and medical information is at risk. Healthcare providers and administrators need to take steps to prevent such breaches and protect the personal information of their patients and customers.
ILS has not provided any details on how the breach occurred, but it was likely the result of a targeted cyberattack. As cybercriminals continue to target healthcare providers and administrators, these organizations must implement strong cybersecurity measures, such as regular security audits, employee training, and advanced security technologies.