NAIROBI, Kenya- Hackers claiming to have accessed sensitive health records belonging to more than 100,000 people in New Zealand have reportedly extended a ransom deadline to Friday, as authorities continue investigations into the major data breach affecting the privately owned Manage My Health platform.
The company said cybercriminals accessed records belonging to an estimated six to seven pc of its 1.8 million users nationwide. The breach was discovered on December 30 after Manage My Health was alerted by one of its partners.
Ransom Demand and Hacker Claims
While New Zealand authorities have not identified the perpetrators, a Telegram user operating under the name “Kazu” has claimed responsibility, alleging access to more than 428,000 files from the platform and offering sample documents for download.
“Kazu” said the group demanded a ransom of US$60,000 (approximately Sh7,737,000), initially setting a deadline for Tuesday morning to prevent the release or sale of the data.
However, New Zealand newspaper The Post reported on Tuesday that the hackers had confirmed the deadline had been extended to 5:00 am Friday (1600 GMT Thursday).
In earlier Telegram messages, the group said it was not politically motivated.
“We know exactly how valuable health data is and how sensitive it can be,” the group stated. “We are doing this as a business. Our main goal is money and building a good reputation in the community.”
The group’s latest Telegram post included a political reference, calling for the release of Venezuela’s president with the message: “free Nicolas Maduro.”
Nature of the Data and Company Response
Manage My Health’s portal stores patient medical records alongside personal details such as phone numbers and addresses. The company said medical appointment and prescription information were not affected by the breach.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the firm said it had identified all patients whose records may have been accessed and had begun notifying affected users. It did not confirm whether it was engaging with the hackers or provide details on the ransom demand.
New Zealand Health Minister Simeon Brown announced on Monday that a review had been launched into how Manage My Health responded to the breach.
“I know this breach will be very concerning to the many New Zealanders who use ManageMyHealth, and we need assurances around the protection and security of people’s health data,” Brown said.
“We must learn from this incident to avoid any repeat events in the future.”
