Cyber attack on Southern Illinois Ob-Gyn hospital impacted thousands of patients

Carbondale, Illinois-based Southern Illinois Ob-Gyn Associates has announced that a data security incident it experienced last year exposed sensitive personal information belonging to nearly 40,000 patients and employees.

 

Southern Illinois Ob-Gyn Associates provides comprehensive women’s healthcare services, including gynaecological and obstetric care, menopausal management, and ultrasound services.

 

In a data security incident notice filed with the Office of Massachusetts Attorney General, SIOBGYN said that on November 24, it identified unauthorised access within its internal network. 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 systems and notified relevant law enforcement authorities about the cyber security incident.

 

“The forensic investigation concluded on or about January 28, 2026, and determined that there was unauthorised access to certain personal information within its network environment,” SIOBGYN said.

 

The compromised data included names, and other personal identifiers including Social Security numbers. In a filing with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, the healthcare provider said it has identified at least 38,700 individuals who were affected by the incident.

 

“Since discovery of the incident, we have moved quickly to respond and secure the accounts. We are also implementing additional technical safeguards, enhanced security measures, and updated procedures to mitigate against the risk of future issues,” SIOBGYN added.

 

The healthcare provider has advised all affected individuals to regularly monitor their credit reports, account and benefit statements and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement authorities, including the police and the state attorney general. It has also offered two years of complimentary identity protection and credit monitoring services through Cyberscout to all affected individuals.