On April 22, 2023, South Texas Oncology and Hematology (“STOH”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Texas after discovering that a recent cyberattack compromised patients’ confidential information. In this notice, STOH explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names and medical information. Upon completing its investigation, STOH began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.

If you received a data breach notification from South Texas Oncology and Hematology, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, as well as discuss your legal options following the South Texas Oncology and Hematology data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the South Texas Oncology and Hematology Data Breach?

The South Texas Oncology and Hematology data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, STOH’s filing with the Attorney General of Texas provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, on February 15, 2024, STOH detected suspicious activity within its computer network. After an investigation, on February 19, 2024, STOH confirmed that the activity was related to an unauthorized having gained access to its computer network.

In response, STOH disconnected its network and launched an investigation with the help of third-party data security experts. While this investigation is ongoing, STOH has been able to determine that certain patient information was compromised.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, South Texas Oncology and Hematology reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name and medical information. STOH indicates that it will continue to provide updates as the ongoing investigation uncovers more information about the cyberattack, what data was leaked, and who it belonged to.

On April 22, 2023, South Texas Oncology and Hematology notified the Texas Attorney General of the breach. Typically, this is around the time that companies send out data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the recent data security incident. However, because the STOH investigation is ongoing, STOH may wait to send them until the investigation is complete. Whenever these letters are sent out, they should provide victims with a list of the information that was compromised.

More Information About South Texas Oncology and Hematology

South Texas Oncology and Hematology is a healthcare services provider based in San Antonio, Texas. STOH provides cancer treatment for patients diagnosed with various GI and skin cancers. STOH operates seven locations in Texas. South Texas Oncology and Hematology employs more than 405 people and generates approximately $8 million in annual revenue.