Cherokee Medical Center CEO Terry Long Releases Statement Concerning Recent ‘Breach’ Of Database

CMC

CENTRE – Limited personal identification data belonging to some patients who were seen at physician practices and clinics affiliated with Cherokee Medical Center over the past five years was transferred during a criminal cyber attack by a foreign-based intruder.

According to a News Release from Cherokee Medical Center CEO Terry Long, The transferred information did not include any medical information or credit card information, but it did include names, addresses, birthdates, telephone numbers and social security numbers.

Long said that Cherokee Medical Center takes very seriously the security and confidentiality of private patient information and sincerely regrets any concern or inconvenience to patients.

Though there is no reason to believe that this data would ever be used, all affected patients are being notified by letter and offered free identity theft protection.

It is believed that the intruder was a foreign-based group out of China that was likely looking for intellectual property. The intruder used highly sophisticated methods to bypass security systems.

The intruder has been eradicated and applications have been deployed to protect against future attacks.

Officials are working with federal law enforcement authorities in their investigation and will support prosecution of those responsible for this attack.

Many American companies and organizations have been victimized by foreign-based cyber intrusions. It is up to the Federal Government to create a national cyber defense that can prevent this type of criminal invasion from happening in the future.

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