New patient spear-phishing scam turns it sights on dental practices

On May 6, Black Talon Security, the ADA, and the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons attended a briefing from the FBI related to a potential threat against the oral and maxillofacial surgery community.

This threat follows a damaging run of incidents in the plastic surgery community, according to Gary Salman, CEO of Black Talon Security.

Gary Salman.

"We are aware that malicious actors often quickly pivot to other specialties, and we want to ensure the broader dental community is informed about this potential spear phishing attack designed to steal sensitive data," Salman said. "This type of attack is easily executed and often difficult to detect."

Cybercriminals employ phishing and vulnerability exploitation techniques to deploy malware on office computers, gaining access to protected health information, Salman explained. They then attempt to extort the dental practice or DSO by stealing this data and demanding a ransom payment.

Gary Salman is the CEO of Black Talon Security, a dedicated cybersecurity company with a strong focus in the dental industry. Salman is an expert in data security, particularly as it relates to the dental industry. As a speaker and writer, he lectures nationally on cybersecurity threats and their impact on dental practices.

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