A representative of the U.S.-based optometric clinics chain Simon Eye confirmed that its security teams detected a data breach that could affect more than 140,000 users after a group of threat actors managed to access the email accounts of some employees during some days in middle-May.
In this regard, the representative mentions that the threat actors tried unsuccessfully to make bank transfers from the company’s accounts, although he acknowledges that confidential records such as patient names, diagnoses and other details could have been compromised.
The company added that other sensitive records of a very small number of users, including social security numbers and financial details could have been affected, although Simon Eye says that so far no evidence of any attempted misuse of this information has been detected.
In a security alert sent to affected users, Simon Eye notes that malicious activity was detected in early June, nearly a month after the initial compromise. In response, the company implemented a password reset process and enabling additional security mechanisms: “We will continue to evaluate and implement the necessary security measures, in addition to notifying the corresponding authorities in this regard.”
For security, affected users are advised to monitor their bank accounts for any hints of malicious activity, in addition to enabling multi-factor authentication and other security mechanisms. The company is likely to offer an identity fraud protection service to affected users, although this has not been confirmed.
To learn more about information security risks, malware variants, vulnerabilities and information technologies, feel free to access the International Institute of Cyber Security (IICS) websites.
He is a cyber security and malware researcher. He studied Computer Science and started working as a cyber security analyst in 2006. He is actively working as an cyber security investigator. He also worked for different security companies. His everyday job includes researching about new cyber security incidents. Also he has deep level of knowledge in enterprise security implementation.