Skip to Content

States most impacted by health care data breaches in 2022


Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

States most impacted by health care data breaches in 2022

Nurse using tablet in hospital ward.

It starts with an often-paralyzing attack on computer systems. Doctors scramble to notify patients awaiting surgery that their procedures have been delayed due to a ransomware attack.

Sometimes a single cyberattack can impact hospitals across multiple states, as was the case when hackers targeted CommonSpirit Health in October 2022. Just one reported case of ransomware has allegedly led to the death of a patient. More often, patients’ sensitive information is served up to a market of seedy individuals around the world ready to cash in on someone else’s identity.

Drata analyzed Department of Health and Human Services data to determine which states felt the largest impacts due to health care data breaches in 2022. The total number of individuals affected by all health care data breaches in each state reported to HHS was normalized as a rate per 10,000 people. Data was not available for Alaska, Idaho, and Washington D.C.

The HITECH Act, signed into federal law in 2009, requires companies to report the breach of protected health information affecting 500 or more people to HHS. Around 38.5 million people in total were affected in some way by the incidents reported to HHS last year. Unfortunately, the data does not make it possible to know how many people may have been affected by more than one breach.

Health care institutions are among the most targeted businesses in the world, chiefly because they hold such sensitive information about the patients they serve. Hospitals, home health agencies, and other institutions store patients’ phone numbers, Social Security numbers, addresses, and other things that would allow any would-be criminal to pose as a patient and open new credit cards or bank accounts in their name.

In fact, roughly 44% of all reported identity theft in 2022 resulted in a fraudulent credit card account being opened, according to Federal Trade Commission data. The agency received a record number of fraud reports in 2021, with the total fraud reports for 2022 coming in on par with 2020. The years 2020 and 2021 marked an important pivot in how consumers shared their personal information, with the adoption of digital banking and retail shopping driven to modern highs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received millions of complaints of cybercrime with losses totaling $10.3 billion. It can take time—even years—for personal information compromised in a data breach to be used for a crime that brings the event to the attention of the FBI.

But the pandemic also drove a rise in cyberattacks on hospitals and other health care businesses. And a good deal of that sensitive information begins its journey into nefarious hands when a hacker illegally accesses information at a health care institution.



Drata

Hacking and IT incidents dominate reasons sensitive information was breached at health care organizations in 2022

Bar chart showing a majority of 2022 health care organization breaches were attributed to hacking or IT incidents.

Sometimes an employee’s oversight in crafting an email with the wrong link or attachment can allow unauthorized access to private information, as happened in Wisconsin’s Department of Health and Human Services last year. However, the vast majority of data breaches at these companies happen through hacking and IT incidents.

Most often, hackers accomplish this with malware that locks up the data until the victim organization pays the attacker a ransom. The federal government recommends against paying ransoms because companies cannot guarantee that a copy of the data won’t be sold to criminals anyway after the ransom is paid, and therefore paying is thought to encourage more of the behavior.

In the top five states where the largest portion of the population was impacted by data breaches at health care organizations last year, all most commonly saw data breaches resulting from hacking.



Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

48. Mississippi

Jackson downtown cityscape at the Capitol.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 0.4
– Breaches reported: 1
– Most common type of breach: Unauthorized Access/Disclosure



Dawid S Swierczek // Shutterstock

47. Iowa

Historical buildings in downtown Dubuque.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 0.5
– Breaches reported: 1
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



C Model // Shutterstock

46. Wyoming

City of Jackson Hole and surrounding landscape.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 2.8
– Breaches reported: 1
– Most common type of breach: Unauthorized Access/Disclosure



Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

45. Virginia

Downtown Richmond skyline on the James River.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 6.3
– Breaches reported: 20
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Steven Frame // Shutterstock

44. South Dakota

Sioux Falls park and cityscape.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 7.4
– Breaches reported: 3
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Andrey Bayda // Shutterstock

43. Nevada

Aerial view of Las Vegas at evening.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 8.1
– Breaches reported: 3
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Joseph Sohm // Shutterstock

42. Maine

Aerial Portland harbor and cityscape.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 8.6
– Breaches reported: 1
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

41. Nebraska

Aerial view of downtown Omaha in autumn.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 11.2
– Breaches reported: 6
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

40. Connecticut

Skyline of downtown Hartford from above Charter Oak Landing.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 13.2
– Breaches reported: 7
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



IMG_191 // Shutterstock

39. Minnesota

Rochester skyline reflected in river.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 13.3
– Breaches reported: 6
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



AevanStock // Shutterstock

38. Florida

Downtown city skyline view of Tampa.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 13.7
– Breaches reported: 23
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Susanne Pommer // Shutterstock

37. South Carolina

Downtown Charleston street view.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 16.8
– Breaches reported: 5
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Real Window Creative // Shutterstock

36. Maryland

Aerial view of Annapolis and Statehouse.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 17.1
– Breaches reported: 11
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



turtix // Shutterstock

35. New Mexico

Albuquerque residential suburbs.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 21
– Breaches reported: 1
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Real Window Creative // Shutterstock

34. Delaware

Aerial view of Wilmington.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 21.6
– Breaches reported: 3
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

33. Rhode Island

Providence cityscape.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 22.7
– Breaches reported: 5
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



photo.ua // Shutterstock

32. Ohio

Cincinnati skyline and bridge.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 24.3
– Breaches reported: 20
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Kamira // Shutterstock

31. New Jersey

Aerial view of Jersey City.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 29.1
– Breaches reported: 22
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Brett Barnhill // Shutterstock

30. Georgia

Aerial view of Atlanta metro and highways.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 29.3
– Breaches reported: 17
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Eduardo Medrano // Shutterstock

29. Arkansas

Afternoon Little Rock cityscape.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 29.4
– Breaches reported: 4
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



MNStudio // Shutterstock

28. Hawaii

Honolulu waterfront and cityscape.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 40.9
– Breaches reported: 3
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Canva

27. Utah

Aerial view of Salt Lake City.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 41.1
– Breaches reported: 4
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Joe Hendrickson // Shutterstock

26. Missouri

Aerial view of The Gateway Arch and riverfront in downtown St. Louis.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 44.5
– Breaches reported: 9
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Canva

25. California

Tower Bridge and Capitol Mall.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 49.4
– Breaches reported: 31
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

24. Alabama

Birmingham skyline at dusk.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 59.5
– Breaches reported: 5
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

23. Kansas

Aerial view downtown Wichita.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 76.2
– Breaches reported: 8
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Canva

22. New York

New York City skyline.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 81.8
– Breaches reported: 43
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



CrackerClips Stock Media // Shutterstock

21. Tennessee

Knoxville skyline with Worlds Fair Park.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 83.5
– Breaches reported: 11
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Canva

20. Louisiana

Aerial photo of Baton Rouge State Capitol Park.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 87.4
– Breaches reported: 3
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Derek Olson Photography // Shutterstock

19. North Carolina

Asheville skyline in the fall.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 87.9
– Breaches reported: 18
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Erika J Mitchell // Shutterstock

18. Vermont

Burlington waterfront view and cityscape.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 91.8
– Breaches reported: 1
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Josemaria Toscano // Shutterstock

17. Oregon

Portland cityscape from Pittock Mansion.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 94.5
– Breaches reported: 6
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Canva

16. Oklahoma

Downtown Oklahoma City.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 97.8
– Breaches reported: 4
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Wangkun Jia // Shutterstock

15. New Hampshire

Aerial view of Market Square and North Church in Portsmouth.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 116.8
– Breaches reported: 8
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



kan_khampanya// Shutterstock

14. Washington

Elevated view of Seattle Space Needle and downtown.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 136.6
– Breaches reported: 18
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



kintermedia // Shutterstock

13. Texas

Aerial view of cityscape and highways.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 139.7
– Breaches reported: 40
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



f11photo // Shutterstock

12. Kentucky

Louisville cityscape.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 140.3
– Breaches reported: 3
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



marchello74 // Shutterstock

11. Illinois

Chicago neighborhood buildings and city skyline on sunny autumn day.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 188.5
– Breaches reported: 21
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Jon Bilous // Shutterstock

10. Montana

View of Missoula from Mount Sentinel.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 196.1
– Breaches reported: 2
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Gerald Bernard // Shutterstock

9. Michigan

Park and skyscrapers in downtown Detroit.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 208.6
– Breaches reported: 21
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Gregory E. Clifford // Shutterstock

8. Arizona

Scenic view of Phoenix.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 213.2
– Breaches reported: 9
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Real Window Creative // Shutterstock

7. Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State Capitol building.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 232.8
– Breaches reported: 27
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



KYPhua // Shutterstock

6. Indiana

Indianapolis skyline seen from canal walkway.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 306.1
– Breaches reported: 14
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



lunamarina // Shutterstock

5. Massachusetts

Boston skyline with river.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 335.5
– Breaches reported: 13
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Studio 1One // Shutterstock

4. Colorado

Denver cityscape.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 395.8
– Breaches reported: 9
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Jacob Boomsma // Shutterstock

3. North Dakota

Aerial view of Grand Forks.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 655.2
– Breaches reported: 1
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Canva

2. West Virginia

Aerial view of Morgantown.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 703.9
– Breaches reported: 7
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident



Tony Savino // Shutterstock

1. Wisconsin

Milwaukee cityscape with Art Museum with the Northwestern Mutual building.

– People affected per 10,000 residents: 743.2
– Breaches reported: 9
– Most common type of breach: Hacking/IT Incident

Data reporting by Dom DiFurio. Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. Photo selection by Elizabeth Ciano.

This story originally appeared on Drata and was produced and
distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.


Article Topic Follows: Science - Stacker

Jump to comments ↓

Stacker

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

KTVZ NewsChannel 21 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.

Skip to content