Dental practice New Jersey Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery announced a cybersecurity attack that exposed the private information, including medical information, of more than 74,0000 individuals, according to a notice recently published by the practice.
On July 12, the practice -- which has offices in New Bergen, Ridgefield, and Hackensack, NJ -- notified the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights that a hacker breached information on its network server, compromising the data of 74,413 individuals.
On May 14, 2024, New Jersey Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery detected suspicious activity on its network, indicating a data breach. Based on a follow-up forensic investigation, the practice determined that cybercriminals infiltrated its computer network and gained access to its files nearly a month earlier around April 19, 2024.
Information exposed reportedly included the following:
- Names
- Social Security numbers
- Dates of birth
- Addresses
- Driver's license numbers
- Medical information
- Health insurance information
- Financial account information
Due to this breach, the cyberattackers have individuals' information, which could be sold on the dark web or may be used to commit identity theft. However, the practice has no evidence that any of the accessed information has been used for identity theft or fraud, according to the practice's notice.
The practice has taken steps, including implementing additional safeguards, to attempt to prevent similar incidents in the future, according to New Jersey Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.
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