Table of contents
- An unprecedented attack on private health data
- The fake debt collection scam
- Ongoing investigation and platform offline
- A warning sign for digital healthcare
- The lesson for users and institutions
An unprecedented attack on private health data
A large-scale hacker attack targeted the servers of the company managing the Paziente Consapevole platform, used by thousands of Lombardy citizens, general practitioners, and pharmacies to manage prescriptions, test results, and medical appointments.
According to initial reports, a group of cybercriminals from Eastern Europe breached the company’s systems, stealing sensitive medical data such as names, addresses, test results, and prescriptions, later used for a large-scale phishing campaign.
The fake debt collection scam
After the attack, hundreds of users received fraudulent emails from a supposed debt recovery company CreditLex srl, allegedly based in Monza, but in fact non-existent.
The messages, written in a professional tone, requested payment for “unpaid medical services” of about €40, to be transferred to a Spanish bank account.
The emails contained real personal information stolen from the platform, making it difficult for recipients to recognize the fraud a classic case of well-crafted social engineering capable of deceiving even cautious users.
Ongoing investigation and platform offline
The Milan Cyber Police promptly blocked the platform and moved the website to a safer digital address.
The Milan Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation for aggravated fraud and unauthorized access to an IT system, coordinating with cyber security experts.
The Lombardy Region confirmed that the attack affected only the private company’s servers, excluding any impact on regional or public health systems.
A warning sign for digital healthcare
Experts describe the incident as an example of hybrid cybercrime, where stolen data are immediately exploited for targeted scams.
The combination of authentic information and deceptive messages increases the effectiveness of these frauds.
According to investigative sources, it is “highly likely that the stolen data have already been sold on the dark web,” feeding a black market for medical data, which are particularly valuable to criminals.
The lesson for users and institutions
This episode highlights the urgent need to strengthen cyber security even within private platforms connected to the national healthcare system.
It is essential to implement encrypted backups, multi-factor authentication, and continuous intrusion monitoring.
Users, on the other hand, should learn to recognize phishing scams and avoid clicking on suspicious links, even if they appear to come from official sources.
