Pager leaks patient sensitive information in Vancouver
Speaker ： Erica
Outline
Preface
Introduction of this incident
Conclusion
Reference
Preface
What is pager ?
A pager is a wireless telecommunications device that receives and displays alphabets, numbers or voice messages.
About pager
The pager is an important tool for the hospital to keep in-hospital communication.
And it can avoid the use of technologies that may interfere with the work of some important instruments.
Pager communication is seldom encrypted.
Crackers only need a set of SDR tools and linked with a special USB. They can receive and steal these medical messages or identity data and even tamper them.
Introduction of this incident
Open Privacy Research Society discovers unencrypted patient medical information broadcast across Vancouver.
So the Office of the Privacy Commissioner starts an investigation.
About this event
The patient information leaked from the incident included:
name
age
gender
diagnosis record
attending doctors
ward number
Impact of the event
The Open Privacy Research Society has compared those leaked information and found that contain real information about the patient.
"VCH takes patient privacy very seriously and is actively working to mitigate the privacy risks you have identified. Please note, however, that VCH has no information to suggest that patient information has been compromised or used for a malicious purpose."
Respond by the General Privacy Officer at Vancouver Coastal Health.
"As of the drafting of this press release the data breach is still active and ongoing."
- Open Privacy Research Society
Conclusion
How to prevent ?
Organizations should use communications technologies that are more secure and comply with data privacy regulations.
Avoid using unsafe or old communication systems.
Strengthening cybersecurity and incident response policies
