Cyber Incident Victim: AZ Herentals
Date:
Apr 2022
Location:
Belgium
Summary
AZ Herentals experienced a cyber incident involving unauthorized access to internal documents, though hospital operations remained unaffected and electronic patient records were not compromised. The organization promptly engaged external cybersecurity experts to identify and close the breach, while notifying relevant authorities including the Data Protection Authority and federal police cyber unit. Prioritizing data protection, the hospital committed to informing affected patients as soon as possible and established a dedicated contact channel through its Data Protection Officer for patient inquiries regarding the incident.
| 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 or around April 1, 2022, AZ Herentals hospital experienced a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to internal documents by an unidentified entity. The breach was disclosed to the hospital when an unknown group claimed responsibility for compromising a limited set of non-clinical documents. Hospital operations remained unaffected throughout the incident, with critical patient care systems like the Nexuzhealth-KWS electronic health records platform remaining fully secure and inaccessible to the attackers. AZ Herentals immediately initiated response protocols upon notification, prioritizing containment and investigation of the data exposure. The hospital engaged external cybersecurity experts to support its internal IT team in identifying the breach's entry point and securing vulnerabilities.
Authorities including Belgium's Data Protection Authority (GBA) and the federal police cyber unit were formally notified in compliance with regulatory requirements. While the exact scope of accessed documents wasn't publicly detailed, the hospital confirmed no medical records or patient treatment data were compromised. AZ Herentals committed to directly notifying affected individuals once forensic analysis concluded, emphasizing patient data protection as its highest priority throughout the response. The hospital established a dedicated communication channel through its Data Protection Officer ([email protected]) for patient inquiries, maintaining transparency while investigation and remediation efforts continued. No operational disruptions to medical services or patient care delivery occurred during or after the incident.