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Hackers steal data from parent company of Las Cruces' MountainView hospital [Las Cruces Sun-News, N.M. :: ](Las Cruces Sun-News (NM) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Aug. 19--LAS CRUCES -- The organization that runs MountainView Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces and more than 200 other hospitals around the country revealed Monday that hackers have stolen personal information from about 4.5 million patients. Community Health Systems Inc., a Tennessee-based company that operates six New Mexico hospitals, reported that the cyber attack happened in April and June, according to a document it filed with the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission on Monday. "We take very seriously the security and confidentiality of private patient information and we sincerely regret any concern or inconvenience to patients," Kelly Duke, MountainView spokesman, said in a prepared statement. "Though we have no reason to believe that this data would ever be used, all affected patients are being notified by letter and offered free identity theft protection." Officials said no credit card or medical information was accessed by the hackers, which are believed to be operating out of China, but they did obtain names, addresses, birthdates, telephone numbers and Social Security numbers. Community Health Systems has been working with federal authorities in an ongoing investigation, the SEC filing states. Federal officials and private computer forensics firm told Community Health System that the cyber-intruder suspected in the hacking typically seeks intellectual property, "such as medical device and equipment development data," according to the filing, but this time it stole non-medical patient data. It affects patients who received referrals for or services by company-affiliated physicians in the past five years, the SEC filing states. The company has taken steps to protect itself, according to Duke's statement: "The intruder has been eradicated and applications have been deployed to protect against future attacks." Besides MountainView, the company operates New Mexico hospitals in Deming, Carlsbad, Roswell, Hobbs and Las Vegas. There are Community Health Systems hospitals in 28 other states, according to the company website. In the past year there have been other notable data breaches nationwide. Hackers stole about 40 million debit and credit card numbers from Target Corp., along with personal information for 70 million people, The Associated Press reported. The Community Health Systems statement calls on federal authorities to "create a national cyber defense that can prevent this type of criminal invasion from happening in the future." Anybody suspecting they've been victimized by identity thieves is advised to contact federal authorities and the three major credit reporting agencies, according to the U.S. Department of Justice website. Here is some contact information. Federal officials --Federal Trade Commission: 877-ID THEFT (877-438-4338) --U.S. Postal Inspection Service: 877-876-2455 --Social Security Administration: 800-269-0271 --Internal Revenue Service: 800-829-0433 Credit reporting agencies --Experian 888-397-3742 --Trans Union 800-680-7289 --Equifax 800-525-6285 James Staley can be reached at 575-541-5476. ___ (c)2014 Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |