Cyber Incident Victim: Weddell Pediatric Dental Specialists
Date:
Jul 2021
Location:
United States of America
Summary
Weddell Pediatric Dental Specialists experienced unauthorized access to an employee email account containing patient information, including names, dates of birth, medical diagnoses, treatment details, financial account data, and some Social Security numbers. The breach was promptly contained upon detection, with subsequent investigation confirming no broader system compromise. Impacted individuals received notifications, and those with exposed Social Security numbers were offered complimentary credit monitoring services. The practice found no evidence of actual misuse of the compromised data following 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 July 23, 2021, Weddell Pediatric Dental Specialists in Carmel, IN, detected unauthorized access to an employee’s email account containing protected health information. The dental practice immediately secured the compromised account upon discovery. With assistance from third-party cybersecurity professionals, Weddell Pediatric Dental Specialists conducted a forensic investigation that confirmed the breach was confined to a single employee email account. The investigation determined no other systems or accounts within the organization’s IT environment were affected. The review process of emails and attachments within the breached account extended from the detection date until October 27, 2021, when the analysis was completed. This comprehensive examination identified the types of sensitive patient information accessible to the unauthorized individual during the breach period.
The compromised data included patient names combined with one or more of the following elements: dates of birth, medical diagnoses, medical treatment details, financial account information, and in some cases, Social Security numbers. The breach impacted 5,356 individuals, with notifications issued following the completion of the forensic review on October 27, 2021. Weddell Pediatric Dental Specialists offered complimentary 12-month credit monitoring services exclusively to individuals whose Social Security numbers were confirmed as exposed. The organization publicly stated it had not received any evidence indicating actual misuse of the compromised patient data following the breach. Internal response measures included securing the affected account and engaging external cybersecurity experts to validate containment and assess breach scope. No additional technical safeguards or system modifications beyond these actions were detailed in the public disclosure.