Ransomware Attacks Leave U.S. Hospitals Turning Away Patients
"exec" writes:
Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:
A rash of ransomware attacks this week targeted hospitals in the U.S. and Australia. The cyberattacks froze the computer systems of several medical facilities, to the point where they needed to turn away new patients and even cancel surgery appointments.
A ransomware attack, reported on Tuesday, impacts the DCH Health System, a regional hospital and medical complex located in Alabama, and left three satellite hospitals turning away patients. A separate attack disclosed on Monday impacted several regional hospitals in Victoria, Australia. There is no indication that the ransomware attacks are connected.
The DCH Health System, which announced it was hit by ransomware on Tuesday, is a government subdivision that operates a community-owned healthcare system in Alabama, consisting of DCH Regional Medical Center, Northport Medical Center and Fayette Medical Center. These facilities are owned by the public, and the system is operated on behalf of the public by the DCH Health System board of directors.
The three regional hospitals, located in Tuscaloosa, Fayette and Northport, are "closed to all but the most critical new patients," according to a Tuesday release. The release said that cybercriminals are limiting the hospitals' abilities to use their computer systems in exchange for an "as-yet unknown payment."
"Our hospitals have implemented our emergency procedures to ensure safe and efficient operations in the event technology dependent on computers is not available," according to the release. "That said, we feel it is in the best interest of patient safety that DCH Regional Medical Center, Northport Medical Center and Fayette Medical Center are closed to all but the most critical new patients. Our staff is caring for the patients who are currently in the hospital, and we have no plans to transfer current patients."
The hospitals said that local ambulances have been instructed to take patients to other hospitals if at all possible. Patients who come to their emergency departments may be transferred to another hospital when they are stabilized, representatives stated.
No further information is currently available. Threatpost has reached out to DCH about how and when the attack started and which specific operations are impacted.
-- submitted from IRC
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