The health app Manage My Health has faced significant scrutiny following a data breach that affected over 100,000 New Zealanders. Health Minister Simeon Brown has initiated an urgent review regarding the incident, which occurred just before New Year's. He emphasized the seriousness of the breach, highlighting that it is not only concerning due to the scale of affected users but also the sensitive nature of the compromised information.
On Tuesday, a High Court injunction was obtained to prevent further access or sharing of the stolen data. This followed the hackers, known as 'Kazu', removing all references to their posts related to the breach. The CEO of Manage My Health, Vino Ramayah, acknowledged the company as a victim of crime and admitted that his own medical records were among those accessed. He expressed regret over the situation, stating the company is committed to restoring trust.
Approximately 6 to 7 percent of the app's 1.8 million registered users were impacted. While Ramayah accepted full responsibility for the incident, he indicated a willingness to step down if necessary for the betterment of the company. A cybersecurity expert commented that the breach poses a significant reputational challenge for Manage My Health.