A health centre and a pharmacy in the town of Chur, Switzerland, have been the target of a cyberattack, during which personal data of patients and employees has been stolen.

The news has been disclosed by the Swiss public broadcaster SRF, which reports that the attack occurred on 12 October to the Gliis D Medical Centre and the Medi Porta pharmacy.

According to the head of the institution’s managing board, Romano Chahannes, the attack has been revealed soon after the centre’s IT systems have been out of place.

The IT interior team, along with external cyber security specialists, have immediately intervened, while the affected systems are temporarily shut down and then are installed from scratch.

Despite the rapid response, however, the flow of data has not been fully prevented. Names, addresses, prescriptions, and radiological photos of patients are taken from local systems. The employees’ personal data has also been affected, while the exact number of affected persons has yet to be determined.

The institution has made it known that the patient’s electronic documentation, which preserves diagnosiss and records on diseases and treatments, has not been compromised, it broadcasts Telegrafi.

This information was stored on a special app that attackers have failed to access. According to the directors, most of the patients ‘ medical records are located in this very system.

Meanwhile, the criminal group of Clook’s Ransomware has claimed responsibility for the attack. According to Swiss media reports, the group claims to have stolen a total of 87 gigabbits given, including identification documents and financial materials. However, these hacker claims have not been independently confirmed. It is not yet known whether any financial compensation was made.

The case was reported to the police and reported to the Federal Bureau for Cyber Security and Swiss Authority for Data Protection.

Meanwhile, authorities are investigating the attack and trying to determine how the attackers have managed to infiltrate the IT systems.

Experts warn that stolen data can be used for online fraud, attacks via false messages and emails, as well as for identity theft. Therefore, patients and employees have been asked to pay attention to questionable calls and messages.

Despite the incident, health centres and pharmacys continue to function normally, while treatment and care for patients have not ceased./Telegraphy/