Clinical Diagnostics Pays Ransom After Hackers Steal 300GB of Data

The Nova ransomware group claims it received a ransom payment from Clinical Diagnostics Netherlands after infiltrating the laboratory’s internal network and exfiltrating 300GB of confidential data.

 

Clinical Diagnostics, one of the largest laboratory networks in the Netherlands, comprises six laboratories specialising in clinical chemistry, medical microbiology, pathology, molecular diagnostics, genomics, functional and imaging research, and preventive diagnostics.

 

In a data security incident notice published on its website, Clinical Diagnostics said that it recently was a victim of a cyber attack. The healthcare provider immediately launched an investigation, with assistance from external cyber security experts, to determine the nature and scope of the incident.

 

It also took steps to secure the affected network and notified relevant law enforcement authorities, including Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) and the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) about the incident.

 

“An investigation was immediately launched to identify the cause and impact of the incident. Unfortunately, it turns out that the hacker has gained access to personal data stored on this part of the IT environment. Certain personal data is also copied,” Clinical Diagnostics said.

 

The compromised data included names, gender, dates of birth, addresses, citizen service number (BSN), applicant details, names of institutions, names of healthcare providers and more. The healthcare service provider is yet to share the number of affected individuals.

 

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A relatively new hacker group, using the moniker Nova ransomware group claimed responsibility for the cyber attack on Clinical Diagnostics and listed it as a victim on its data leak site. The group claimed to be in possession of 300GB of confidential data stolen from the diagnostic centre and threatened to leak it unless their ransom demand was met.

 

Although the research laboratory did not explicitly confirm a ransom payment, it stated, “We currently have no indications that the attacker will proceed to leak the copied data,” implying that a ransom may have been paid. Meanwhile, the Nova hacker group confirmed to RTL Nieuws that it received a ransom payment from Clinical Diagnostics.