Planned Parenthood of Montana target of ransomware attack

Planned Parenthood of Montana says it discovered a data breach last week. The attackers may have already posted some info online.

Planned Parenthood president Martha Fuller says the attack was discovered on Aug. 28. She says her IT team immediately took security measures to mitigate the damage. Fuller says they’re investigating what information may have been taken.

The attackers are known as Ransom Hub and federal officials have warned that the group is targeting health care facilities. Planned Parenthood is aware that the group posted a file online allegedly containing data it took from the nonprofit.

Kaustubh Medhe with Cyble, a cyber threat intelligence & research firm, says Ransom Hub is a financially motivated group.

“The ransomware groups are interested in selling this data or extorting a ransom from the group to prevent them from suffering reputational damage,” said Medhe.

Other abortion providers have been victims of cyberattacks, including Planned Parenthood L.A. and the organization’s national website. Cybersecurity experts say these attacks can be both politically and financially motivated.

They worry that patients can suffer legal consequences if they live in states where abortion is criminalized or suffer personal attacks if their data is sold or released by attackers.