The Inc Ransom ransomware group has claimed responsibility for a hack targeting an Australian healthcare network less than a month after it disclosed that some patient data had been compromised in a cyber attack.
The cyber extortion group listed Partnered Health – which operates more than 60 clinics across Australia – in a July 30 leak post to its darknet leak site.
However, while the hackers (and several open source ransomware threat intelligence feeds) have published details of the incident, including evidence, Partnered Health has obtained an injunction preventing access to the data itself for any purpose.
Partnered Health is aware of the hacker’s post.
“As a further update on the cyber incident impacting Partnered Health, we're now aware that a malicious actor has published 11 files online that they claim includes personal information accessed from Partnered Health,” a spokesperson told Cyber Daily.
“The information was published on a part of the internet that cannot be accessed by standard search engines or browsers.
“Our cyber experts have continued to monitor these channels as part of our ongoing investigation, and available evidence indicates this publication by the malicious actor relates to the recent incident that impacted some parts of our network. We are urgently reviewing the material to assess its authenticity and determine whether it contains personal information.”
Partnered Health also said that since its investigations began, it has identified some additional patients who may have been impacted by the June 23 incident, which it originally disclosed on July 16. Patients and employees of the group’s Indooroopilly practice are now thought to be impacted, and Partnered Health is notifying those individuals directly.
“This latest development is not a new incident and does not change the advice already provided in our notifications,” Partnered Health said.
“We sincerely apologise for any concern this incident has caused and recognise the importance our patients and our people place on the security of their personal information.
Partnered Health is working to verify the hackers’ claims regarding the incident and the data it impacted, and has informed the Australian Cyber Security Centre, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, and law enforcement.
Who is Inc Ransom?
INC Ransom was first observed in August 2023 and has claimed 885 victims since then. The group was recently in the top five most active cyber extortion groups, but has dropped to number seven in recent weeks.
The group is a ransomware-as-a-service operation, offering its ransomware expertise to affiliates in return for a cut of any profits.
Inc Ransom’s most recent Australian victim was Australian engineering service company Metaval, which fell victim to the group in May.
Who is Partnered Health?
Partnered Health describes itself as “one of Australia’s leading healthcare providers”.
The group as a whole has 1,500 employees and boasts of serving more than five million patients since it was formed in 2013.
Partnered Health is currently in the process of being acquired by the health insurance company, Bupa. It operates both a Primary Care Group and Corporate Health & Wellbeing Group, and is headquartered in Eastwood, South Australia.
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