[Dataloss] follow-up: Wuesthoff Web site security breached

lyger lyger at attrition.org
Fri Aug 15 11:37:24 UTC 2008


(so which is it... "hackers" or little ol' Google?  you decide...)

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080815/BUSINESS/808150326/1006/NEWS01

Hackers penetrated Wuesthoff Health System's pre-registration Web site 
earlier this week, gaining access to personal information on 500 patients, 
including names, addresses and Social Security numbers.
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Wuestoff officials said there were six outside "hits" Tuesday and 
Wednesday to its live Web site, where patients registered ahead of time 
for surgery, lab work and other services the Rockledge-based healthcare 
system provides. The site was immediately shut down.

[...]

In Wuesthoff's case, Crites said the provider uses the same encryption 
technology to protect online information as banks do, but installed a new 
software program two weeks ago, called Google Analytics, that may have 
provided a portal for unauthorized entry.

Wuesthoff implemented the program to better track consumers researching 
its Web site, she said, and has never had a problem until now. The on-site 
database has been in existence since 2006, she said.

"The breach of information does not appear to be a malicious entry," 
Crites said. "It was the depth and capabilities of the Google search 
engine."

[...]


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