Retina Group of Florida Reports Major Data Breach Impacting 150,000 Patients

Retina Group of Florida reported that a data security breach last year exposed the sensitive personal information of over 150,000 people.

 

Retina Florida MSO, operating as Retina Group of Florida and based in Ft. Lauderdale, is a private, multi-location ophthalmology practice specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of retinal conditions, including macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and retinal detachment.

 

In a data security incident notice submitted to the Office of the Maine Attorney General, Retina Group of Florida said that on November 9, it identified unauthorised activity within its internal network. The eye care 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 about the incident.

 

“The investigation determined there was unauthorised access to a portion of our network between November 6, 2024 and November 9, 2024, and that certain information may have been taken,” Retina Group of Florida said.

 

The compromised data included names and other personal identifiers including Social Security Numbers.  The filing with the Maine state regulator’s office also states that Retina Group of Florida has identified 153,429 individuals affected by the incident.

 

“In response to this incident, we notified law enforcement, conducted a thorough investigation, changed network passwords, and reviewed our policies and procedures,” the ophthalmology practice added.

 

Retina Group of Florida 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 state attorney general. 

 

It has also offered one year of complimentary identity protection and credit monitoring services through TransUnion to all affected individuals.

 

At the time of publishing, no known hacker group claimed responsibility for the cyber attack on Retina Group of Florida. The ophthalmology care provider also did not share details on who was behind the attack, how much data was compromised, or whether it had received a ransom demand.