Hacker attack on ASST Rhodense: sensitive data compromised

ASST Rhodense has been the victim of a large-scale cyber attack by the Cicada3301 ransomware group. This malicious action led to the theft of an enormous volume of sensitive data, putting the healthcare facilities of Garbagnate Milanese, Bollate, Rho and Passirana in crisis, including the territorial services of the Garbagnatese, Rhodense and Corsichese district areas. As reported on the official website of the Lombardy Region, the attack occurred on the night between June 5 and 6, allowing hackers to exfiltrate as much as 1 TB of data which includes personally identifiable information (PII), medical documents, prescriptions and other sensitive files. This information was subsequently made public on the criminal group's leak portal, exposing the privacy and safety of the patients and healthcare personnel involved to significant risks.

Reactions and safety measures

The data breach represents a significant threat to those directly affected and local authorities are working tirelessly to assess the extent of the damage and to implement all necessary countermeasures to contain the incident. In parallel, ASST Rhodense promptly activated collaborations with cybersecurity experts to strengthen its defenses and prevent any future attacks. Collaboration with the competent authorities was immediate and investigations are already underway to trace the authors of this cyber attack. A helpline has been activated to support patients and staff involved in the data theft, offering information and suggestions to further protect their privacy and confidentiality.

Cicada3301 claims responsibility for the attack

Cicada3301, a cybercriminal group known for ransomware attacks, publicly claimed responsibility for the attack, listing ASST Rhodense among four victims in a series of recent attacks. This incident draws attention to the importance of cybersecurity in healthcare settings, an inherently vulnerable sector due to the highly sensitive nature of the data processed. It is imperative that all healthcare organizations implement and maintain robust cybersecurity measures to protect patient information from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats and to safeguard the operational continuity of the facilities themselves.

Support from the Lombardy Region

The Lombardy Region has expressed full solidarity with ASST Rhodense, promising to provide all the support necessary to face and overcome this crisis. Citizens are urged to maintain a state of vigilance and report any suspicious activity that may be related to this serious security incident. As always, we are available to publish any updates provided directly by ASST Rhodense through new articles dedicated to the matter. RHC will continue to monitor the evolution of the situation and will publish further updates on the blog as soon as there is significant news. Anyone with relevant information to provide anonymously can use the encrypted email reserved for whistleblowers.