Cyber Incident Victim: Miramont Urgent Care
Date:
May 2017
Location:
United States of America
Summary
A ransomware infection impacted a server previously operated by Miramont Urgent Care, which had been inactive for several years prior to the incident. The compromised server stored historical patient records containing names, Social Security numbers, medical diagnoses, treatment details, health insurance information, and demographic data, though no financial records were present. Forensic analysis confirmed unauthorized access to deploy the ransomware but found no evidence that personal information was actually viewed or extracted. Despite this absence of confirmed data exfiltration, the clinic's successor entity proactively notified affected individuals due to the potential exposure risk. The incident was isolated to a single physical location and did not affect more recent systems or other facilities.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On May 4, 2017, PVHS-ICM Employee Health and Wellness LLC discovered a ransomware infection affecting a computer server previously utilized by Miramont Urgent Care at 2211 S. College Ave. in Fort Collins, Colorado. The compromised server contained patient records from individuals treated at the clinic prior to September 23, 2014, but had not been actively used by PVHS-ICM since acquiring the location in September 2014. An internal investigation was immediately initiated, supplemented by independent forensic analysis, which confirmed unauthorized access to the server for the purpose of deploying ransomware. The forensic examination found no evidence that patient information had been accessed, viewed, or exfiltrated during the incident. The server stored protected health information including patient names, addresses, Social Security numbers, medical diagnosis and treatment details, health insurance policy numbers, and demographic data, though no financial information was present. Due to the server's isolation from other systems and its lack of recent data, the incident was confined exclusively to this single physical location without impacting other clinics or more current records.
PVHS-ICM opted to notify affected patients despite the absence of confirmed data access or theft, citing an abundance of caution and potential regulatory obligations. Notification letters detailed the nature of the ransomware incident, the types of information potentially exposed, and the lack of evidence suggesting misuse of data. The organization provided recipients with resources and guidance on protective measures while emphasizing that the compromised server contained only historical records from before their operational takeover of the clinic. The forensic investigation concluded the attack was limited to ransomware deployment without additional malicious activity against the data. No financial remediation was offered as no evidence of data acquisition existed, though PVHS-ICM formally apologized for potential concerns arising from the notification. The incident highlighted organizational challenges in responding to ransomware events where data compromise remains unconfirmed but notification may be interpreted as mandatory.