Delaware Guidance Services for Children and Youth

The organization is known as Delaware Guidance Services for Children and Youth and is also referred to by the acronym DGS. Its headquarters is situated in the United States of America. The name indicates that the organization provides guidance services specifically for children and youth. In carrying out its mission, the organization maintains records that contain personal identifiers such as names, addresses, birth dates, medical information, and Social Security numbers. This focus on guidance services for children and youth places the organization within the broader child welfare and behavioral health sector.

On December 25, 2018, the organization was targeted by a ransomware attack. The attack encrypted files that held the personal and health data described above. To regain access to the encrypted files, the organization paid an undisclosed ransom amount. Forensic investigators later determined that there was no evidence the protected health information had been accessed or stolen. Analysts concluded that the attackers’ primary objective was financial extortion rather than data exfiltration. The breach potentially affected as many as fifty thousand individuals. Each of those individuals received notification of the incident and was offered complimentary credit monitoring services. The organization reported the ransomware event to appropriate law enforcement agencies. In addition, the incident was disclosed to federal regulators in accordance with breach‑notification obligations. Details of the attack and its aftermath were documented in a HIPAA Journal article that is cited as a source for this information.

Because the organization handles medical information and Social Security numbers, it is subject to federal privacy regulations such as HIPAA. The publicly available sources do not specify the organization's total employee count, annual revenue, or precise geographic service area. Likewise, no explicit information regarding the organization's ownership structure, parent company, or any subsidiary relationships is provided in the cited material.