Family Planning NSW hit by ransomware attack

Family Planning NSW was hit by a ransomware attack late last month and the clinic operator is warning that its “online databases” may have been compromised.

The provider of reproductive and health services said the databases contained the details of people who had made contact through its website to “seek appointments or leave feedback” over the past 2.5 years.

Sky News reported that as many as 8000 people may have been impacted.

“We were one of several agencies targeted by cyber criminals requesting a bitcoin ransom on ANZAC Day,” it said.

FPNSW said it had “secured” its website after the attack, though the site has just been a landing page since the attack that advises customers it is “getting a security update”.

“All web database information has been secure since this time and more sensitive medical records held internally were never under threat,”FPNSW board chair Sue Carrick and CEO Ann Brassil said in a joint letter circulating on social media, and verified by iTnews.

“The situation is now contained and there have been no further threats.”

Family Planning NSW said that the web form “does not connect to our internal medical records”; however, it was unclear how much detail the form asked people to submit when making requests.

FPNSW said it had called on a third party to conduct a security review and that it had notified both the Australian Federal Police and Office of the Australian Information Commissioner following the attack.

It said its clinics were operating under “business as usual”.

FPNSW will front a press conference at midday today to share more details on the incident.

Further information was being sought by iTnews at the time of publication.

According to the NSW government, FPNSW has “expertise on contraception, pregnancy options, sexually transmissible infections (STIs), sexuality and sexual function, menstruation, menopause, common gynaecological and vaginal problems, cervical screening, breast awareness and men’s sexual health”.

It has five fixed clinics in NSW (Ashfield, Fairfield, Penrith, Newcastle and Dubbo) and has about 28,000 client visits annually.