Anyone can access the documents, including breast cancer screenings, spinal images, chest x-rays or cardiac pacemakers
Keystone
Highly sensitive medical data, including almost 200,000 pictures of patients in Switzerland, have ended up on unsecured servers, according to research. Worldwide, data from several million patients are affected.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/AFP/ts
Anyone with basic computer skills can access the documents, including breast cancer screenings, spinal images, chest x-rays or cardiac pacemakers, said German public broadcaster Bayerischer RundfunkExternal link on Tuesday based on the its research with US investigative news platform ProPublicaExternal link.
In Switzerland two systems with 1,500 patient data sets and a total of 197,000 images are affected, according to the report.
The images are high-resolution and contain a great deal of information, almost all of which is personal data: date of birth, first and last name, date of examination and information about the treating physician or the treatment itself.
“Unlike some of the more infamous recent security breaches, in which hackers circumvented a company’s cyber defenses, these records were often stored on servers that lacked the security precautions that long ago became standard for businesses and government agencies,” wrote ProPublica.
‘Irresponsible’
Worldwide, the scale is much larger, with servers all over the world left unprotected.
According to the report, 590 archive systems reveal 24.5 million data records. Patients from the United States are particularly affected.
Although ProPublica found no evidence that patient data was copied from these systems and published elsewhere, it said the consequences of unauthorised access to such information could be devastating.
“Medical records are one of the most important areas for privacy because they’re so sensitive. Medical knowledge can be used against you in malicious ways: to shame people, to blackmail people,” said Cooper Quintin, a security researcher and senior staff technologist with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital-rights group.
“This is so utterly irresponsible,” he said.
More
More
Study warns of risks of wearable health trackers
This content was published on
Watches and armbands that measure various health metrics could lead to discrimination.
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
This content was published on
The bise, a cold dry wind, played havoc with air traffic at Zurich Airport on Friday. Numerous flights were delayed and some were cancelled.
UBS reportedly in talks to sell hedge fund O’Connor
This content was published on
UBS is in talks to sell O'Connor, one of its hedge fund units (high-risk funds), to the US firm Cantor Fitzgerald, according to Bloomberg.
Six anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes reported a week in Switzerland
This content was published on
On average, almost six hate crimes are reported a week against LGBTQ+ people in Switzerland. Last year there were 309 cases.
Swiss authorities profit from unexchanged banknotes
This content was published on
The Swiss government and cantons will receive over CHF700 million from the Swiss National Bank because old banknotes worth almost CHF1 billion have not been exchanged.
This content was published on
The legal distribution of cannabis can reduce problematic consumption, particularly among people who also use other drugs, according to a study from Basel.
Banks increasingly active in use of artificial intelligence
This content was published on
Having overcome initial reticence, more and more retail banks are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to optimise processes and offer new products.
This content was published on
During the collision of lead nuclei at almost the speed of light, the conversion of lead into gold was measured using a new mechanism.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss companies razzed for bad data management
This content was published on
The Big Brother Awards for failure to protect client data have been announced, with several prominent Swiss institutions winning the uncoveted prizes.
Your employer might be watching you. Should you care?
This content was published on
The new wave of workplace data analytics is raising tough questions in Switzerland with its strong culture of trust and privacy.
This content was published on
Recent scandal of Cambridge Analytica using Facebook data has given impetus to projects designed to give people control of their private information.
This content was published on
Big data is about to bring a wealth of opportunities to Switzerland thanks to investments in research. Efforts are also underway to control the risks.
Swiss insurers offer discounts for sharing health data
This content was published on
Strict data protection laws in Switzerland have not dissuaded the first pioneers from testing the waters on participatory health data sharing. Currently, two companies – CSS and Swica – offer Swiss consumers the chance to lower their health insurance premiums by attaining physical activity goals monitored by wearable devices. CSS was the first to introduce…
This content was published on
He won 139 votes in a secret ballot in a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate on Wednesday. More than 50 parliamentarians came out against his nomination by the government last November. Addressing the media, Lobsiger said his role was to raise awareness of the risks and opportunities of the use…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.