A cancer-stricken hacker used hacking in the company's marketing strategy.
Vikas Singla, the former chief operating officer of an information security company, pleaded guilty to hacking two hospitals at Gwinnett Medical Center (GMC) in June 2021. His actions were aimed at improving the business performance of Securolytics, a company specializing in network security and providing services to the healthcare industry.
Singla used his skills and access to hack into the systems of two GMC Northside hospitals in Duluth and Lawrenceville. Single was charged in June 2021. The attack carried out by him on September 27, 2018, led to serious consequences: Singla disrupted the work of the medical center's phone and network printer, and also stole the personal data of more than 200 patients through the Hologic R2 Digitizer digitizer device connected to a mammograph at GMC Hospital in Lawrenceville.
As part of the attack, Singla also used more than 200 printers at a Duluth hospital to print stolen patient information and messages with provocative "WE OWN YOU" content.
Singla "promoted" the GMC hack in X by posting on the social network the names, dates of birth and gender of 43 patients whose data was stolen as a result of the hack. In addition, Securolytics mentioned the incident in its marketing materials when addressing potential customers.
Such a cynical and insidious act of cyberattack attracted the attention of law enforcement agencies. The FBI stressed the seriousness of the incident, pointing to potentially disastrous consequences for the hospital and the compromise of personal data of patients. Prosecutors said the attack resulted in financial losses of more than $817,000.
Singla, who was charged with 17 counts of intentionally damaging a protected computer and one count of obtaining information from a protected computer, agreed to pay more than $817,000 plus interest in damages to Northside Gwinnett Hospital in Lawrenceville and Ace American Insurance Company as part of a plea deal.
Taking into account the defendant's health – Singla has been diagnosed with a rare and incurable type of cancer, as well as a potentially dangerous vascular disease – prosecutors recommend assigning him 57 months of probation with house arrest, which will allow Singla to receive the necessary medical care. The judge will consider the case at a hearing scheduled for February 15, 2024, where a decision will be made to impose a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Vikas Singla, the former chief operating officer of an information security company, pleaded guilty to hacking two hospitals at Gwinnett Medical Center (GMC) in June 2021. His actions were aimed at improving the business performance of Securolytics, a company specializing in network security and providing services to the healthcare industry.
Singla used his skills and access to hack into the systems of two GMC Northside hospitals in Duluth and Lawrenceville. Single was charged in June 2021. The attack carried out by him on September 27, 2018, led to serious consequences: Singla disrupted the work of the medical center's phone and network printer, and also stole the personal data of more than 200 patients through the Hologic R2 Digitizer digitizer device connected to a mammograph at GMC Hospital in Lawrenceville.
As part of the attack, Singla also used more than 200 printers at a Duluth hospital to print stolen patient information and messages with provocative "WE OWN YOU" content.
Singla "promoted" the GMC hack in X by posting on the social network the names, dates of birth and gender of 43 patients whose data was stolen as a result of the hack. In addition, Securolytics mentioned the incident in its marketing materials when addressing potential customers.
Such a cynical and insidious act of cyberattack attracted the attention of law enforcement agencies. The FBI stressed the seriousness of the incident, pointing to potentially disastrous consequences for the hospital and the compromise of personal data of patients. Prosecutors said the attack resulted in financial losses of more than $817,000.
Singla, who was charged with 17 counts of intentionally damaging a protected computer and one count of obtaining information from a protected computer, agreed to pay more than $817,000 plus interest in damages to Northside Gwinnett Hospital in Lawrenceville and Ace American Insurance Company as part of a plea deal.
Taking into account the defendant's health – Singla has been diagnosed with a rare and incurable type of cancer, as well as a potentially dangerous vascular disease – prosecutors recommend assigning him 57 months of probation with house arrest, which will allow Singla to receive the necessary medical care. The judge will consider the case at a hearing scheduled for February 15, 2024, where a decision will be made to impose a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
