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Sensitive Data Leak
Cyber Attacks Cybersecurity measures Data exposed data security Identity Protection Identity Theft Patient Data Sensitive Data Leak

American Addiction Centers Cyberattack Exposes Sensitive Data of 422,424 Individuals

 


In September 2024, American Addiction Centers (AAC) experienced a significant cyberattack that exposed the personal and health-related information of 422,424 individuals. The breach involved sensitive data such as Social Security numbers and health insurance details, prompting AAC to take immediate action to address the situation and support those impacted.

The cyberattack occurred over three days, from September 23 to September 26, 2024. AAC identified the breach on September 26 and quickly launched an investigation. The organization engaged third-party cybersecurity experts and notified law enforcement to assess the extent of the attack. By October 3, investigators confirmed that unauthorized individuals had accessed and stolen data during the breach.

Data Compromised

The stolen information included:

  • Names, addresses, and phone numbers
  • Dates of birth
  • Social Security numbers
  • Health insurance details

AAC assured clients that no treatment information or payment card data was compromised during the incident. While the exposed data could be exploited for identity theft, the company emphasized that there is no evidence linking the breach to fraudulent activity at this time.

Response and Notifications

In December 2024, AAC began notifying affected individuals, with official letters sent out just before the holiday season. These notifications outlined the breach details, the steps AAC had taken to address the incident, and the measures implemented to prevent future occurrences.

To mitigate risks, AAC offered affected individuals complimentary credit monitoring services for 12 months. The organization partnered with Cyberscout, a TransUnion company, to provide identity protection services, including:

  • Alerts for credit report changes
  • Monitoring for suspicious activity
  • Fraud Assistance

Affected individuals are encouraged to enroll in these services by March 31, 2025, to ensure their data remains protected.

Beyond immediate support, AAC implemented enhanced security protocols to strengthen its cybersecurity defenses. The organization collaborated with leading cybersecurity experts to fortify its systems and continues to review and update its measures regularly. Additionally, AAC established a dedicated hotline to assist individuals with inquiries and provide guidance on protective measures.

Proactive Recommendations

Although AAC has found no evidence of identity theft linked to the breach, it urged affected individuals to take the following proactive measures:

  • Monitor financial accounts and credit reports
  • Place fraud alerts on credit files
  • Consider security freezes on credit accounts

AAC’s notification letters include detailed instructions on these steps to help individuals safeguard their personal information against potential threats.

AAC emphasized its dedication to protecting personal information and maintaining transparency with its clients. “We regret that this incident occurred and the concern it may have caused,” the company stated. “We take the confidentiality and security of personal information very seriously and will continue to take steps to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future.

As investigations into the incident continue, AAC remains focused on strengthening its cybersecurity measures and rebuilding client trust. For further information, individuals can contact AAC’s dedicated hotline at 1-833-833-2770, available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

This incident highlights the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and proactive data protection strategies to safeguard sensitive information in the digital age.

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Ledger
Cyber Crime cyber theft CyberCrime Cybersecurity Cyverattacks Data exposed Ledger

Data Insights Exposes Ledger's Granular Tracking: Is Privacy at Stake?

 


An investigation by Rekt Builder has raised concerns about the extent of data collection by Ledger Live, the official software for managing Ledger hardware wallets. The developer claims that Ledger Live tracks every move users make, including the apps they install and the crypto they hold. A ledger in accounting can be described as a book of accounts. It is the second book of entry for all accounting transactions. 

A company records their classified financial information in a ledger. Transactions are recorded in the ledger in different accounts as debits and credits. The ledger is intended to provide a clear history of a business's financial health by providing an accurate account of all its transactions, both present and past. 

A ledger contains all the financial activities of a company in an orderly manner. When preparing financial statements, various active account records such as assets, liabilities, equity, income and expenses are provided as a record of the transactions or events that have occurred during a certain period. 

The ledger contains all of the accounts required to compile financial statements and is also necessary for audit purposes. The entire list of accounts is also called the chart of accounts. 

Taking to X on December 27, Rekt Builder claims that Ledger Live embeds the genuine check into the app’s listing procedure. As such, it means that whenever you plug in your Ledger device and open Ledger Live, the software checks whether the device is genuine and sends this information to Ledger’s servers. This data includes the device’s serial number, firmware version, and the list of apps installed. 

Rekt Builder also notes that Ledger Live tracks the crypto balances stored on the device. However, what’s concerning is that all this data is sent to Ledger’s servers. Accordingly, it means Ledger can access a detailed record of its clients’ crypto holdings.  

To determine whether Ledger was trailing user activity, the developer attempted to turn off the remote tracking feature in Ledger Live, but this was impossible. Any attempt to disable tracking resulted in the software breaking. This suggests that Ledger has intentionally designed Ledger Live to track user activity. Rekt Builder’s findings raise serious concerns about the privacy of Ledger hardware wallet users. 

If Ledger is tracking each move users make, then it is possible that this data could be used to identify users and track their crypto transactions. This can be dangerous because a hack into any of Ledger’s centralized servers can mean malicious agents can control critical data, which can then be used to target individuals with large holdings of Bitcoin and other coins.  


Rekt Builder also notes that Ledger Live tracks the crypto balances stored on the device. However, what’s concerning is that all this data is sent to Ledger’s servers. Accordingly, it means Ledger can access a detailed record of its clients’ crypto holdings.  

The Purpose Of A Ledger Account Business owners can focus their efforts on recording all business transactions. Such records facilitate easy tracking of income and expenses and keep client/customer accounts and records accurately maintained. These records can either be written or can be in an electronic format, i.e., accounting software.

One-off costs can have a significant impact on the projected budget for an upcoming year, which is why it is important to remove them from a budget before the correct figures are calculated. The most reasonable way to get an accurate picture of the budget is by reviewing the ledger in detail. Users can check what expenses were done and what income came through as a one-time thing. These can be overlooked at the budget preparation stage so they do not affect the upcoming budget. 

Current income and expenditure can be used to gain more precise figures. There has been a crucial debate in the cryptocurrency community regarding the delicate balance between convenience and data security as users grapple with the potential privacy risks that may be brought to light by Rekt Builder's investigation into Ledger Live. Considering all of these revelations, one must reevaluate user protections as well as transparency measures in this ever-evolving world of digital asset management.
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Ransomware Gang
Cyber Attacks Data exposed Fujitsu Kyocera avx LockBit LockBit ransomware MalwareBytes ransomware attacks Ransomware Gang

Kyocera AVX: Electronic Manufacturer Company the Current Target of LockBit


Kyocera, a global electronics manufacturer, has apparently experienced what seems like a data breach, wherein their data was exposed by ransomware gang LockBit on their dark web blog. The company was one of several who felt the aftershocks of a breach at Japanese tech firm Fujitsu last year.

The group has set a June 9 deadline for the payment of an undetermined ransom. According to the blog, "all available data will be published" if the company does not collaborate with the cybercriminals before then.

Kyocera AVX

Kyocera AVX’s clients involves military, industrial and automotive industries, for whom the company manufactures electronic products. It was established in the 1970s, and since 1990, it has been a part of Kyocera, a Japanese electronics business best known for its printers. Over 10,000 individuals are employed by it globally.

On May 26th, security researchers revealed that selected data of the company has been leaked and posted to LockBit’s dark web victim blog.

Apparently, the company’s data was breached following a cyberattack that took place on Fujitsu last year. The attack might have been the reason why LockBit was able to launch a supply chain attack on Kyocera AVX, and other companies that are partnered with Fujitsu via cyber or other social engineering attacks.

According to a Financial Times report, Fujitsu confirmed the attacks in December following a heads-up given by police agency of a potential intrusion. The intrusion further gave outsiders access to emails sent through an email system powered by Fujitsu.

It was later revealed that at least ten Japan-based companies, along with Kyocera AVX were victims of the attack.

LockBit Continues Cyber Activities Against Russia’s Enemy 

Ransomware gang LockBit, which is assumed to have originated in Russia has been on news highlights pertaining to its interest on targeting organizations based in US and allied countries. 

According to a report by security firm Malwarebytes, 126 victims have been posted by the ransomware gang in February alone.

This year, the gang targeted the UK Royal Mail, demanding ransom of $80 million in bitcoin. When the business refused to pay up, labeling the demands "ridiculous," the gang retaliated by sharing the information along with copies of the conversations between LockBit and Royal Mail's officials.

Later, it stole client information from WH Smith, a high-end street retailer in the UK. The hacker used current and previous employees' personal information. Since then, there has been no information indicating whether the business has paid the ransom.

In its recent case, this month, an individual named Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev who claims to have been involved with LockBit, has a bounty of $10 million on his head placed by the FBI. With connections to both the Hive and Babuk organizations, Matveev is believed to be a major participant in the Russian ransomware ecosystem.  

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US Department of Health and Human Services
Cerebral Cerebral Data Breach Data Breach Data exposed Healthcare Data HIPAA telehealth US Department of Health and Human Services

Telehealth Startup Reveals Exposing Private Data of Millions of its Patients


Telehealth startup, Cerebral, which specializes in mental health has recently revealed that it has exposed its patients’ private information that includes mental health assessments. 

This data of more than 3.1 million patients in the US has apparently been shared with advertisers and social media giants like Facebook, Google, and TikTok. 

In a notice published on the company’s website, it addressed the case, admitting to having exposed patient data from as far back as October 2019 by the tracking technologies it had been utilizing. 

The telehealth startup came to light in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, after the online-only virtual health services came into culture due to lockdown, disclosing the security lapse in its system at the time. 

In a filing with the federal government, pertaining to the security lapse, the company revealed that it has shared personal and health-related information of patients who were attempting to seek therapy or other mental health care service via their app. 

The collected and distributed data includes information like names, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, IP addresses, and other demographic data. In addition to data obtained from Cerebral's online mental health self-assessment, which may also have included the services that the patient chose, assessment responses, and other related health information was also there.

Reportedly, Cerebral was using trackers and other data-collecting programmes that the company included in its apps to share patient data with digital giants in real time. 

In most cases, it has been observed that online users have no idea if they are opting into the tracking options in these apps, and simply accept the app’s terms of use and privacy policies, which they clearly do not read. 

According to Cerebral, the data could vary from patient to patient based on different factors, like “what actions individuals took on Cerebral’s Platforms, the nature of the services provided by the Subcontractors, the configuration of Tracking Technologies,” and more. The company added that it will notify the affected users, regardless of “how an individual interacted with the Cerebral’s platform.” 

Moreover, it claims that nothing such as the patient’s social security, credit card credentials, or bank account information has been exposed. Following the data breach in January, the company says it has “disabled, reconfigured, and/or removed any of the tracking pixels on the platform to prevent future exposures, and has enhanced its information security practices and technology vetting processes.” 

It added that the company has terminated the tracking code from its apps. However, the tech giants are under no obligation in taking down the exposed data that Cerebral has shared. 

Taking into account the way Cerebral manages sensitive patient information, it is being protected by the HIPAA health privacy regulation in the United States. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which supervises and enforces HIPAA, has compiled a list of health-related security violations under investigation. Cerebral's data leak is the second-largest compromise of health data in 2023.  

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