Florida Department of Health confirms it was targeted by criminal hacking group

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health confirmed to Channel 9 on Friday that it was the target of a hack by a criminal hacking group.

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The agency said it is working with law enforcement and has intentionally taken down its Vital Statistics system in order to protect Floridian’s most sensitive information.

Channel 9 learned that some of that information was compromised in the attack.

A ransomware group has taken credit for hacking the agency and stealing its data.

The group said it released Floridian’s sensitive records on the dark web after the state did not pay a ransom.

Read: Hack delays Florida from issuing new birth, death certificates

The Tampa Bay Times reported that the more than 20,000 records include recent HIV test results, detailed doctors’ notes and immunization and virus testing records.

DOH said Friday that it is notifying any affected parties as it assesses the situation.

The agency said its Vital Statistics system for birth and death certificates has been shut down since June 28.

DOH said it did this to strengthen security measures and bolster monitoring capabilities.

Read: Hackers claim massive data heist of Florida Health Department system

The system shutdown has forced healthcare facilities and funeral homes to go offline.

Hospitals must now manually process birth certificates for babies born since June 28.

Fred Jenkins of Newcomer Funeral Services said he has had to go back to pen and paper.

“This is not the first time,” he said. “Over the years, it has gone down at different times -- maybe for a few minutes, for an hour or two. But it’s never been like a week.”

Read: Florida’s 2-week Back-to-School sales tax holiday begins this month

Most tax collectors’ offices in the state provide copies of birth certificates.

But Seminole County Tax Collector J.R. Kroll said there has been little information from the state on when the system will be back up.

“All tax collectors, hospitals -- everybody’s kind of been cut off from this because of their spread,” he said.

DOH said the majority of its systems and services remain operational without disruption.

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