C.I.A.
Confidentiality refers to a veterinary hospital’s ability to keep internal information, customer data, proprietary intellectual property, and other sensitive records protected from unauthorized access. Maintaining veterinary data confidentiality is a core component of any robust cybersecurity strategy. Cyber attackers often attempt to compromise confidentiality in order to exfiltrate critical data or monitor private information that should remain secure. For veterinary clinics and hospitals, ensuring the confidentiality of client and patient information is essential to maintaining trust and protecting the integrity of the practice.
Example – Business Email Compromise
A hacker gained access to an Ohio veterinary hospital’s email address and passwords. They then used the email address to gain access to the hospital’s cloud-based practice management system.
The hacker then sent emails to all the hospital’s clients with copies of invoices for them to pay. The hacker indicated to the clients that their payments had failed for the invoices and if they could repay them via the link. The payments we of course being sent to the hacker and not the hospital.
Leaving the hospital to clean up the PR mess with all their clients and thousands of dollars stolen from your clients.
Example – Social Media
A veterinary hospital owner in Virginia put over 30 years of hard work into building his practice. He lined up a sale of his hospital to a consolidator and prepared to spend his days on the beach.
During the negotiation process, his social media accounts were compromised. The hackers threatened to release all his private messages and photos to his clients if he didn’t pay the ransom request. Due to the compromising nature of these messages and photos, the consolidator backed out of the purchase.