Star Health Says It Obtained $68,000 Ransom Demand After Information Leak

Star Health, India’s greatest well being insurer, on Saturday mentioned it had obtained a ransom demand of $68,000 from a cyberhacker in reference to a leak of buyer information and medical data.

Star, which has a roughly $4 billion market cap, is battling a reputational and enterprise disaster since Reuters reported on Sept. 20 {that a} hacker had used Telegram chatbots and an internet site to leak clients’ delicate information, together with tax particulars and medical declare papers.

The firm, whose shares have declined 11%, has launched inner investigations and has taken authorized motion towards Telegram and the hacker, whose web site continues to share samples of Star clients’ information.

Star, which has beforehand mentioned it’s a “sufferer of a focused malicious cyberattack“, on Saturday revealed for the primary time that in August “the threat actor demanded a ransom of $68,000 in an email” addressed to the corporate’s managing director and its chief govt.

The assertion got here after Indian shares exchanges sought clarifications from Star on a Friday over a Reuters report that the corporate was investigating allegations that its chief safety officer was concerned within the information leak.

Star reiterated on Saturday it has discovered no wrongdoing by the official, Amarjeet Khanuja, although the inner investigation is ongoing.

Telegram has declined to share the account particulars or completely ban accounts linked to the hacker – a person dubbed xenZen – “despite multiple notices issued in this regard,” Star mentioned on Saturday.

Star mentioned it has “sought the assistance” of Indian cyber safety authorities to “help us identify” the hacker.

Telegram didn’t reply to a request for remark.

The Dubai-based messenger app has beforehand mentioned it eliminated the chatbots when Reuters flagged them to the platform.

© Thomson Reuters 2024

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