Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and its El Paso branch experienced a significant cybersecurity incident, potentially compromising sensitive data of 1.4 million patients. The breach, occurring in September 2024, disrupted computer systems and led to unauthorized access of critical information.

The Attack and Impact
The cybersecurity event, lasting from September 17-29, 2024, resulted in unauthorized access and removal of files from the institutions’ network. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, the breach affected approximately 1,465,000 individuals.

Compromised Information Includes:
– Personal identification details (names, birthdates, addresses)
– Government-issued IDs and Social Security numbers
– Financial and insurance information
– Medical records and treatment data
– Billing information

Response and Attribution
The Interlock ransomware group claimed responsibility for the attack on October 27, releasing 2.1 million files (2.6 TB of data) on their dark web portal. Interlock, a new ransomware operation, is known for targeting both FreeBSD servers and Windows systems, with ransom demands ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.

Remediation Efforts
The institution has:
– Implemented immediate security measures
– Launched an investigation
– Offered free credit monitoring to affected individuals
– Committed to notifying all impacted parties

Affected individuals are advised to monitor their credit reports, review health insurance statements, and stay alert for potential phishing attempts.