Lab data leak larger than thought; 715,000 women in cervical cancer screening affected

The data breach at Clinical Diagnostics, the laboratory that handles the population screening for cervical cancer on behalf of the Dutch Population Screening, is larger than previously reported. This week, the lab informed the Dutch Population Screening organization that another 230,000 women’s data had also been leaked, bringing the total up to 715,000 women.

A total of 941,000 women have participated in the cervical screening program since 2017. Clinical Diagnostics cannot cannot say for certain whether the remaining 226,000 women’s data has also been leaked. The Dutch Population Screening organization has therefore decided to contact all 941,000 women about the breach.

“We realize that this is very unpleasant news for participants in the cervical cancer screening program,” the organization said in a statement published on Friday. The leaked data includes names, addresses, citizens’ registration numbers (BSNs), and test results. The Dutch Population Screening organization did not share the women’s email addresses and phone numbers with Clinical Diagnostics, but other healthcare providers collaborating with the lab may have done so.

Clinical Diagnostics was hacked by the hacker group Nova. The laboratory initially reported that the hackers published the data of 485,000 women in the population screening. In addition to the cervical cancer screening, the hackers also stole data of patients referred to the lab for tests by their house doctor and other medical professionals. The hackers previously leaked the personal data of 53,000 of these patients.

The total number of people affected is unknown. Clinical Diagnostics and its parent company, Eurofins, have not responded to inquiries for nearly three weeks, NOS reported.

The law firm Van Diepen Van Der Kroef has launched a special platform for victims of the data breach to gauge interest in a potential class action suit against Clinical Diagnostics. The firm opened the platform last Friday, and by Wednesday, over 50,000 women had signed up. The firm is currently mapping out how many people were affected by the breach and whether there are legal grounds for a mass claim.