Vietnam Hong Ngoc Hospital on Breach Forums: 112,621 Patient and Doctor Profiles Compromised

Pietro Melillo : 30 June 2024 10:16

A serious data breach incident may have recently affected the Hong Ngoc Hospital, a renowned hospital located in Vietnam. The news was disseminated through the BreachForums, a platform known for the buying and selling of compromised data. The volume and sensitivity of the compromised information make this incident particularly alarming.

Hong Ngoc General Hospital was founded in 2003, when private hospitals were not yet widespread in Vietnam. With continuous effort, Hong Ngoc earned its reputation as the first hospital-hotel in Hanoi and northern Vietnam. To date, after 17 years of foundation and development, Hong Ngoc has become a household name and a trusted medical address for millions of patients.

Details of the Breach

According to reports on BreachForums, the breach involved a total of 112,621 profiles, divided between patients and doctors of Hong Ngoc Hospital. The compromised information includes:

• Full names
• Dates of birth
• Email addresses
• Phone numbers
• Usernames
• Passwords
• Gender

This data has been put up for sale, exposing both patients and healthcare professionals to potential risks of fraud and identity theft.

Currently, we are unable to confirm the accuracy of the reported information precisely, as no official press release regarding the incident has been issued on the hospital’s website.

Security Impact

The compromise of sensitive data can have devastating consequences. Individuals whose data has been exposed could become victims of:

• Identity theft: Criminals can use personal information to assume the identity of victims and carry out fraudulent activities.
• Phishing attacks: Compromised email addresses and phone numbers can be used to deceive victims with targeted fraudulent messages.
• Unauthorized access: Account credentials, such as usernames and passwords, can be used to access the personal and professional services of victims.

Conclusion

The data breach at Hong Ngoc Hospital is a serious wake-up call regarding the vulnerability of IT systems in the healthcare sector. It is crucial for healthcare institutions to strengthen their security measures to protect sensitive information of patients and staff. Users affected by this breach must act promptly to protect their data and prevent further damage.

As is our custom, we always leave room for a statement from the company should they wish to provide updates on the matter. We will be happy to publish such information with a specific article highlighting the issue.

RHC Dark Lab will monitor the evolution of the situation to publish further news on the blog, should there be substantial updates. If there are individuals informed about the facts who wish to provide information anonymously, they can use the whistleblower’s encrypted email.

Pietro Melillo
Head of the Dark Lab group. A Computer Engineer specialised in Cyber Security with a deep passion for Hacking and technology, currently CISO of WURTH Italia, he was responsible for Cyber Threat Intelligence & Dark Web analysis services at IBM, carries out research and teaching activities on Cyber Threat Intelligence topics at the University of Sannio, as a Ph.D, author of scientific papers and development of tools to support cybersecurity activities. Leads the CTI Team "RHC DarkLab"