FBI Investigates Cyberattack at Oracle Amid Alleged Patient Data Theft

In a shocking revelation, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently investigating a cyberattack at Oracle that has resulted in the theft of sensitive patient data, according to Bloomberg News.

The news came as a result of an alert sent by Oracle to some healthcare customers earlier this month, informing them that hackers had accessed its servers and copied patient data to an outside location sometime after January 22. The breach was allegedly aimed at extorting multiple medical providers in the United States.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the FBI has launched a probe into the incident, although details about the scope of the breach remain unclear. It is not known how many patient records were compromised or which healthcare providers were specifically targeted by the hackers.

Oracle's involvement in the electronic health record sector was significantly bolstered following its acquisition of US-based healthcare IT company Cerner Corp in 2022 for a staggering $28 billion ($44.4 billion). This move not only expanded Oracle's customer base but also increased its presence on the cloud platform, which has become a critical component of many healthcare systems.

Notably, the contract with the US Department of Veterans Affairs is said to have come with significant drawbacks, including highly publicized outages and scrutiny from lawmakers. This new breach raises further concerns about Oracle's handling of sensitive patient data and its preparedness for such incidents.

Oracle reportedly became aware of the breach around February 20, although specific details regarding the hackers' methods or motivations are still under investigation by the FBI. The company has taken steps to notify affected customers and is likely to face increased scrutiny over its handling of this incident.

The implications of this cyberattack on Oracle's reputation and relationships with healthcare providers are yet to be fully understood, but one thing is clear: patient data security is a pressing concern for companies operating in the healthcare sector. As investigators continue their probe, it remains to be seen how Oracle will address these concerns and ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.