Malware
Helsinki Hit by Data Breach: Hackers Exploit Unpatched Vulnerability
Helsinki’s city services experienced a data breach after hackers exploited an unpatched flaw in a Vastaamo psychotherapy clinic’s system. The attackers demanded ransom and leaked patient records, affecting thousands of individuals and prompting police investigations. Ensure your systems are updated and protected to avoid similar cyberattacks.
Breaking News: Helsinki’s Education Division Suffers Major Data Breach
The City of Helsinki is currently investigating a significant data breach that occurred within its education division. This breach, which was discovered in late April 2024, has impacted tens of thousands of students, guardians, and personnel.
What Happened?
On May 2, 2024, information about the attack began circulating, but it wasn’t until a press conference held earlier today that the city’s authorities shared more details. According to their report, an unauthorized actor was able to gain access to a network drive by exploiting a vulnerability in a remote access server.
Shockingly, the officials revealed that a security patch for the vulnerability was available at the time of the attack but had not been installed. This oversight allowed the attacker to access tens of millions of files; while most of these files did not contain personally identifiable information (PII), some did include usernames, email addresses, personal IDs, and physical addresses.
The Stakes Are High
Beyond the basic personal information, the exposed drive also contained highly sensitive data such as fees, childhood education and care records, children’s statuses, welfare requests, medical certificates, and more. Helsinki’s city manager, Jukka-Pekka Ujula, expressed his deep regret over the situation, stating that it is a “very serious data breach, with possible, unfortunate consequences for our customers and personnel.” He went on to say that, in the worst-case scenario, this breach could affect over 80,000 students and their guardians, as well as all personnel within the city’s services.
What’s Being Done?
Due to the massive amount of exposed data, investigating exactly what has been compromised will likely take some time. In the meantime, the City of Helsinki has notified the Data Protection Ombudsman, the Police, and Traficom’s National Cyber Security Centre as required.
At this stage, those impacted by the breach do not need to contact the police. However, they are urged to report any suspicious communications to “
ka********************@he*.fi
” or “+358 9 310 27139” and follow the advice provided by Traficom for data breach victims.
Who’s Behind the Attack?
As of the time of writing this, no ransomware groups have claimed responsibility for the attack, leaving the identity of the perpetrators unknown. This serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present threat of cyberattacks and the importance of maintaining strong cybersecurity measures.
Stay Informed and Stay Safe
As experts in cybersecurity, we understand the devastating impact data breaches can have on individuals and organizations. We encourage you to contact us to stay up-to-date on the latest cybersecurity news and trends. Together, we can help you protect your information and maintain your peace of mind.