Colo. hospital hacked, impacting 5,400 patients

A Colorado hospital is dealing with the aftermath of computer hackers who inserted a virus on the hospital's system last September, impacting 5,400 patients.

According to Aspen Public Radio, Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs identified the virus in January and brought in a forensic team. The team "was able to learn that the virus had captured screen shots of internet web pages and stored these images in an encrypted, hidden folder on the Valley View Hospital system. This folder could have been accessed by an outside entity," according to a hospital statement. Once the discovery was made, on Jan. 23 the hospital shut down incoming and outgoing internet traffic to quarantine all information and took steps to remove the virus from the system.

On Jan. 25, the firm reported the detailed contents of the encrypted, hidden folder. Information in each folder varied for each affected individual but included names and in some cases addresses, date of birth, telephone numbers, Social Security numbers, credit card information, admission date, discharge date and patient visit numbers, according to the hospital. No medical information was included. The hospital has been unable to confirm whether any data was improperly accessed by or transmitted to an outside entity.

Notification letters went to affected patients on March 17 and the hospital has launched an upgrade to its IT and security.