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Covenant Health data breach affects nearly 500,000 patients

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Covenant Health data breach affects nearly 500,000 patients

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When a healthcare data breach is first disclosed, the number of people affected is often far lower than the final tally. That figure frequently climbs as investigations continue. 

That’s exactly what happened with Andover, Massachusetts-based Covenant Health. The Catholic healthcare provider has confirmed a cyberattack discovered last May may have affected nearly 500,000 patients, a sharp increase from the fewer than 8,000 people it initially reported earlier this year. 

A ransomware group later claimed responsibility for the incident, though Covenant Health has not publicly confirmed the use of ransomware. The attackers accessed names, addresses, Social Security numbers and health information, among other sensitive data that could put patients at serious risk.

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UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX DATA BREACH HITS 3.5M PEOPLE

Covenant Health detected suspicious activity in late May 2025, but investigators later confirmed attackers had already accessed systems days earlier. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What happened in the Covenant Health breach

Covenant Health says it detected unusual activity in its IT environment May 26, 2025. A later investigation revealed that an attacker had actually gained access eight days earlier, on May 18, and was able to access patient data during that window.

In July, Covenant Health told regulators that the breach affected 7,864 individuals. After completing what it describes as extensive data analysis, the organization now says that up to 478,188 individuals may have been affected.

Covenant Health operates hospitals, nursing and rehabilitation centers, assisted living residences and elder care organizations across New England and parts of Pennsylvania. That wide footprint means the breach potentially touched patients across multiple states and care settings.

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In late June, the Qilin ransomware group claimed responsibility for the attack, Bleeping Computer reported. The group alleged it stole 852 GB of data, totaling nearly 1.35 million files. Covenant Health has not confirmed those figures, but it did acknowledge that patient information was accessed.

According to the organization, the exposed data may have included names, addresses, dates of birth, medical record numbers, Social Security numbers, health insurance details and treatment information such as diagnoses, dates of treatment and types of care received.

700CREDIT DATA BREACH EXPOSES SSNS OF 5.8M CONSUMERS

Qilin ransomware lists Covenant Health on its data leak site. (Bleeping Computer)

What Covenant Health is telling patients

In a notice sent to regulators and patients, Covenant Health says it engaged third-party forensic specialists to investigate the incident and determine what data was involved. The organization says its data analysis is ongoing as it continues identifying individuals whose information may have been involved.

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Then there are the familiar statements every company makes after a breach, claiming they’ve strengthened the security of their IT systems to help prevent similar incidents in the future. Covenant Health says it has also set up a dedicated toll-free call center to handle questions related to the breach.

Beginning Dec. 31, 2025, the organization started mailing notification letters to patients whose information may have been compromised. For individuals whose Social Security numbers may have been involved, Covenant Health is offering complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft protection services.

We reached out to Covenant Health, and the company confirmed the expanded scope of the incident and outlined steps being taken to notify patients and enhance security safeguards.

DATA BREACH EXPOSES 400K BANK CUSTOMERS’ INFO

The breach exposed highly sensitive information, including names, Social Security numbers, medical records and treatment details tied to nearly half a million patients. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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7 steps you can take to protect yourself after the Covenant Health breach

If you received a notice from Covenant Health, or if your data has been exposed in any healthcare breach, these steps can help reduce the risk of misuse.

1) Enroll in the free identity protection offered

If the organization offers you credit monitoring or identity protection, take it. These services can alert you to suspicious activity tied to your Social Security number, credit file or identity details before real damage is done. If you’re not offered one and want to be on the safer side, you might consider getting one yourself.

Identity theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security number, phone number and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.

See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com

2) Monitor medical and insurance statements closely

Medical identity theft often shows up quietly. Review an explanation of benefits (EOBs), insurance claims and billing statements for services you don’t recognize. If something looks off, report it to your insurer immediately.

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3) Place a fraud alert or credit freeze

A fraud alert tells lenders to take extra steps to verify your identity before approving credit. A credit freeze goes further by blocking new accounts entirely unless you lift it. If Social Security numbers were exposed, a freeze is usually the safer option.

To learn more about how to do this, go to Cyberguy.com and search “How to freeze your credit.” 

4) Use a password manager

Healthcare breaches often lead to credential-stuffing attacks elsewhere. A password manager ensures every account uses a unique password, so one exposed dataset can’t unlock everything else. It also makes it easier to update passwords quickly after a breach.

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at Cyberguy.com.

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5) Be cautious of phishing scams and use strong antivirus software

Breaches are frequently followed by phishing emails, texts or calls that reference the incident to sound legitimate. Attackers may pose as the healthcare provider, an insurer or a credit bureau. Don’t click links or share information unless you verify the source independently.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

6) Consider a personal data removal service

Once your data leaks, it often spreads across data broker sites. Personal data removal services help reduce your digital footprint by requesting takedowns from these databases. While they can’t erase everything, they lower your exposure and make targeted fraud harder.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

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Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

7) Review your credit reports regularly

You’re entitled to free credit reports from all major bureaus. Check them for unfamiliar accounts, hard inquiries or address changes. Catching fraud early makes it far easier to contain.

Kurt’s key takeaway

Healthcare organizations remain prime targets for cybercriminal groups because of the volume and sensitivity of the data they store. Medical records contain a mix of personal, financial and health information that is difficult to change once exposed. Unlike a password, you cannot reset a diagnosis or treatment history. This breach also shows how early disclosures often underestimate impact. Large healthcare networks rely on complex systems and third-party vendors, which can slow forensic analysis in the early stages. As investigations continue, the number of affected individuals often climbs.

Do you think healthcare organizations do enough to protect user data? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

Amazon has slowly been teasing out casting details for its live-action adaptation of God of War, and now we have our first look at the show. It’s a single image but a notable one showing protagonist Kratos and his son Atreus. The characters are played by Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson, respectively, and they look relatively close to their video game counterparts.

There aren’t a lot of other details about the show just yet, but this is Amazon’s official description:

The God of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.

That sounds a lot like the recent soft reboot of the franchise, which started with 2018’s God of War and continued through Ragnarök in 2022. For the Amazon series, Ronald D. Moore, best-known for his work on For All Mankind and Battlestar Galactica, will serve as showrunner. The rest of the cast includes: Mandy Patinkin (Odin), Ed Skrein (Baldur), Max Parker (Heimdall), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Thor), Teresa Palmer (Sif), Alastair Duncan (Mimir), Jeff Gulka (Sindri), and Danny Woodburn (Brok).

While production is underway on the God of War series, there’s no word on when it might start streaming.

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

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Your web browser may feel like a safe place, especially when you install helpful tools that promise to make your life easier. But security researchers have uncovered a dangerous campaign in which more than 300,000 people installed Chrome extensions pretending to be artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. Instead of helping, these fake tools secretly collect sensitive information like your emails, passwords and browsing activity.

They used familiar names like ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Assistant. If you use Chrome and have installed any AI-related extension, your personal information may already be exposed. Even worse, some of these malicious extensions are still available today, putting more people at risk without their knowing.

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More than 300,000 Chrome users installed fake AI extensions that secretly harvested sensitive data. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What you need to know about fake AI extensions

Security researchers at browser security company LayerX discovered a large campaign involving 30 malicious Chrome extensions disguised as AI-powered assistants (via BleepingComputer). Together, these extensions were installed more than 300,000 times by unsuspecting users.

Some of the most popular extensions included names like AI Sidebar with 70,000 users, AI Assistant with 60,000 users, ChatGPT Translate with 30,000 users, and Google Gemini with 10,000 users. Another extension called Gemini AI Sidebar had 80,000 users before it was removed.

These extensions were distributed through the official Chrome Web Store, which made them appear legitimate and trustworthy. Even more concerning, researchers found that many of these extensions were connected to the same malicious server, showing they were part of a coordinated effort.

While some extensions have since been removed, others remain available. This means new users could still unknowingly install them and expose their personal data. Here’s the list of the affected extensions:

  • AI Assistant
  • Llama
  • Gemini AI Sidebar
  • AI Sidebar
  • ChatGPT Sidebar
  • Grok
  • Asking ChatGPT
  • ChatGBT
  • Chat Bot GPT
  • Grok Chatbot
  • Chat With Gemini
  • XAI
  • Google Gemini
  • Ask Gemini
  • AI Letter Generator
  • AI Message Generator
  • AI Translator
  • AI For Translation
  • AI Cover Letter Generator
  • AI Image Generator ChatGPT
  • Ai Wallpaper Generator
  • Ai Picture Generator
  • DeepSeek Download
  • AI Email Writer
  • Email Generator AI
  • DeepSeek Chat
  • ChatGPT Picture Generator
  • ChatGPT Translate
  • AI GPT
  • ChatGPT Translation
  • ChatGPT for Gmail

FAKE AI CHAT RESULTS ARE SPREADING DANGEROUS MAC MALWARE

These malicious tools were listed in the official Chrome Web Store, making them appear legitimate and trustworthy. (LayerX)

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How the fake AI Chrome extension attack works

These fake extensions pretend to offer helpful AI features, such as translating text, summarizing emails, or acting as an AI assistant. But behind the scenes, they quietly monitor what you are doing online.

Once installed, the extension gains permission to view and interact with the websites you visit. This allows it to read the contents of web pages, including login screens where you enter your username and password.

In some cases, the extensions specifically targeted Gmail. They could read your email messages directly from your browser, including emails you received and even drafts you were still writing. This means attackers could access private conversations, financial information and sensitive personal details.

The extensions then sent this information to servers controlled by the attackers. Because they loaded content remotely, the attackers could change their behavior at any time without needing to update the extension.

Some versions could also activate voice features through your browser. This could potentially capture spoken conversations near your device and send transcripts back to the attackers.

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If you installed one of these extensions, attackers may already have access to extremely sensitive information. This includes your email content, login credentials, browsing habits and possibly even voice recordings.

We reached out to Google for comment, and a spokesperson told CyberGuy that the company “can confirm that the extensions from this report have all been removed from the Google Web Store.”

BROWSER EXTENSION MALWARE INFECTED 8.8M USERS IN DARKSPECTRE ATTACK

Once installed, the extensions could read emails, capture passwords, monitor browsing activity and send the data to attacker-controlled servers. (Bildquelle/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

7 ways you can protect yourself from malicious Chrome extensions

If you have ever installed an AI-related Chrome extension, taking a few simple precautions now can help protect your accounts and prevent further damage.

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1) Remove any suspicious or unused browser extensions

On a Windows PC or Mac, open Chrome and type chrome://extensions into the address bar. Review every extension listed. If you see anything unfamiliar, especially AI assistants you don’t remember installing, click “Remove” immediately. Malicious extensions depend on going unnoticed. Removing them stops further data collection and cuts off the attacker’s access to your information.

2) Change your passwords

If you installed any suspicious extension, assume your passwords may be compromised. Start by changing your email password first, since email controls access to most other accounts. Then update passwords for banking, shopping and social media accounts. This prevents attackers from using stolen credentials to break into your accounts.

3) Use a password manager to create and protect strong passwords

A password manager generates unique, complex passwords for each account and stores them securely. This prevents attackers from accessing multiple accounts if one password is stolen. Password managers also alert you if your login credentials appear in known data breaches, helping you respond quickly and protect your identity. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

4) Install strong antivirus software and keep it active

Good antivirus software can detect malicious browser extensions, spyware, and other hidden threats. It scans your system for suspicious activity and blocks harmful programs before they can steal your information. This adds an important layer of protection that works continuously in the background to keep your device safe. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

5) Use an identity theft protection service

Identity theft protection services monitor your personal data, including email addresses, financial accounts, and Social Security numbers, for signs of misuse. If criminals try to open accounts or commit fraud using your information, you receive alerts quickly. Early detection allows you to act fast and limit financial and personal damage. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.

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6) Keep your browser and computer fully updated

Software updates fix security vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. Enable automatic updates for Chrome and your operating system so you always have the latest protections. These updates strengthen your defenses against malicious extensions and prevent attackers from taking advantage of known weaknesses.

7) Use a personal data removal service

Personal data removal services scan data broker websites that collect and sell your personal information. They help remove your data from these sites, reducing what attackers can find and use against you. Less exposed information means fewer opportunities for criminals to target you with scams, identity theft or phishing attacks.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaway

Even tools designed to make your life easier can become tools for cybercriminals. Malicious extensions often hide behind trusted names and convincing features, making them difficult to spot. You can significantly reduce your risk by reviewing your browser extensions regularly, removing anything suspicious and using protective tools like password managers and strong antivirus software.

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Have you checked your browser extensions recently? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

Less than 24 hours before the deadline in an ultimatum issued by the Pentagon, Anthropic has refused the Department of Defense’s demands for unrestricted access to its AI.

It’s the culmination of a dramatic exchange of public statements, social media posts, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, coming down to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s desire to renegotiate all AI labs’ current contracts with the military. But Anthropic, so far, has refused to back down from its two current red lines: no mass surveillance of Americans, and no lethal autonomous weapons (or weapons with license to kill targets with no human oversight whatsoever). OpenAI and xAI had reportedly already agreed to the new terms, while Anthropic’s refusal had led to CEO Dario Amodei being summoned to the White House this week for a meeting with Hegseth himself, in which the Secretary reportedly issued an ultimatum to the CEO to back down by the end of business day on Friday or else.

In a statement late Thursday, Amodei wrote, “I believe deeply in the existential importance of using AI to defend the United States and other democracies, and to defeat our autocratic adversaries. Anthropic has therefore worked proactively to deploy our models to the Department of War and the intelligence community.”

He added that the company has “never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner” but that in a “narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values” — going on to specifically mention mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. (Amodei mentioned that “partial autonomous weapons … are vital to the defense of democracy” and that fully autonomous weapons may eventually “prove critical for our national defense,” but that “today, frontier AI systems are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons.” He did not rule out Anthropic acquiescing to the military’s use of fully autonomous weapons in the future but mentioned that they were not ready now.)

The Pentagon had already reportedly asked major defense contractors to assess their dependence on Anthropic’s Claude, which could be seen as the first step to designating the company a “supply chain risk” – a public threat that the Pentagon had made recently (and a classification usually reserved for threats to national security). The Pentagon was also reportedly considering invoking the Defense Production Act to make Anthropic comply.

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Amodei wrote in his statement that the Pentagon’s “threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.” He also wrote that “should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions. Our models will be available on the expansive terms we have proposed for as long as required.”

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