The appeal trial for the Vastaamo psychotherapy center data breach has concluded in Helsinki. The court aims to deliver its verdict on Aleksanteri Kivimäki's charges by the end of February.
Kivimäki received a prison sentence in the district court but now demands all charges be dismissed. Prosecutors seek to increase his punishment to seven years, the maximum penalty for his alleged crimes.
The Vastaamo case represents one of Finland's most severe data privacy violations. Thousands of therapy patients had their confidential records stolen and published online.
What was the Vastaamo data breach? The 2018-2020 incident involved hackers accessing sensitive therapy session notes and demanding ransom payments from patients. The breach exposed deep vulnerabilities in Finland's digital health systems.
Kivimäki maintains his innocence throughout the appeals process. The court's upcoming decision will set important precedents for cybersecurity enforcement in Nordic countries.
The seven-year sentence prosecutors seek reflects the case's severity. Finnish courts rarely impose maximum penalties, suggesting officials view this as an exceptional circumstance.
This final ruling will bring closure to victims who have waited years for justice. The case has already prompted stricter data protection laws across Scandinavia.