Texas clinics Victoria Eye Center and Victoria Surgery Center together notified 80,155 people about a March 2024 data breach that compromised patients’ names, addresses, and medical ID numbers.
VEC’s notification states, “On March 21, 2024, VEC became aware that certain computer systems in our environment were inaccessible as a result of malicious file encryption.”
Although the mention of encryption implies this was a ransomware attack, no group has claimed responsibility as of time of writing.
We do not yet know how much the ransom demand is or whether VEC intends to pay it. VEC hasn’t stated how attackers breached its systems. Comparitech contacted the clinics for comment and will update this article if they respond.
Comparitech recommends victims take advantage of the free identity theft protection service offered by VEC via IDX. Victims could be at risk of identity and medical fraud.
Ransomware attacks on US healthcare
Ransomware attacks on healthcare organizations cripple key systems and endanger the privacy and security of patients. Hospitals and clinics may have to resort to pen and paper, cancel appointments, and divert patients elsewhere until systems are restored.
Since 2018, we’ve recorded 538 confirmed attacks on US healthcare organizations, affecting 68,842,858 records.
19 of those attacks were reported in 2024 (1,068,472 records affected).
We’ve also logged 78 unconfirmed attacks on US healthcare so far this year.
Other recent ransomware attacks against US healthcare organizations include the Singing River Health System and BAMSI.
About Victoria Eye Center and Victoria Surgery Center
The Victoria Vision Center is comprised of five clinics in Southeast Texas. It specializes in LASIK and cataracts, in addition to other general eye care and treatment.
The Surgery Center in Victoria, Texas is a single facility that specializes in ear, nose and throat, general surgery, gastroenterology, orthopedics, pain management, plastic surgery, and podiatry.