Veritaco CEO Jeffrey Bowie faces charges for allegedly installing malware on hospital computers, violating Oklahoma’s Computer Crimes Act.
Jeffrey Bowie, CEO of the cybersecurity firm Veritaco, is facing two counts of violating Oklahoma’s Computer Crimes Act for allegedly infecting employee computers at the Oklahoma City St. Anthony Hospital.
The man is accused of having installed the malware on the hospital computers on August 6, 2024.
Bowie was arrested on April 14, following the issuance of an arrest warrant. Security footage reportedly shows the man attempting to access multiple offices before installing malicious software designed to capture screenshots every 20 minutes and transmit them to an external IP address.
“New court documents reveal security cameras captured Bowie wandering around the hospital on August 6, where he tried to get into multiple offices until he stumbled upon two computers. One of those computers was for employees only.” reported the media outlet KOCO 5 News.
“When confronted by hospital staff, Bowie claimed he had a family member undergoing surgery and needed to use the computer. A forensic review by the hospital later uncovered the malware; however, officials stated that no patient data was accessed.”
A statement published by the healthcare organization confirmed that on August 6, 2024, an unauthorized attempt to install malware on a hospital computer was quickly contained.
“On August 6, 2024, an unauthorized individual was identified accessing a hospital computer in an alleged attempt to install malware.” reads the hospital’s statement. “The protection of data and the integrity of our systems are top priorities. Due to precautions in place, the issue was addressed immediately, and no patient information was accessed. We worked closely with law enforcement during the investigation.”
St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City is a 773-bed general medical and surgical facility located in the Midtown district.
The hospital offers a wide range of services, including cardiology, oncology, neurology, behavioral medicine, surgery, and kidney transplantation. It is also home to the Saints Heart and Vascular Institute, which provides advanced structural heart disease programs.
At the time of this writing, the website of the cybersecurity firm Veritaco is unreachable.
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