2024-05-14 14:09:24
Last Wednesday, May 8, the Ascension Health System was targeted by a cyber attack which unleashed a series of chaos in its 140 hospitals, which operate in 19 states of the American country.
Ambulances were diverted, patient appointments altered and medical records blocked, leaving thousands in a state of uncertainty for many hoursuntil they recovered the operation of their system.
A company spokesperson confirmed that unusual activity was detected on its computer network, revealing a attack with all the characteristics of a ransomware. Electronic records and the MyChart system, vital for patient-doctor communication, were left inactive, plunging the organization into a critical situation.
Resolution Collaboration: Ascension joins Google’s mandiant
Given the seriousness of the incident, Ascension sought outside help. It contacted Mandiant, Google’s cybersecurity unit, to deal with the aftermath of the attack. However, It has not been confirmed whether the attack was, in fact, carried out by ransomware or whether a ransom has been paid.
UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty testified before Congress that Ascension subsidiary Change Healthcare immediately took affected systems offline to prevent the attack from spreading. This emergency action sought to mitigate the impact on medical care.
The cyberattack had direct repercussions on medical care. Ambulances were diverted at several hospitals, such as in Wichita, Kansas, and the EMS service for Pensacola, Florida, was forced to reroute patients. Additionally, patients reported a lack of essential medical services in Ascension hospitals.
Amid uncertainty, Ascension patients face significant challenges. Reports of missing CT scans, mammograms, and unfilled prescriptions highlight the severity of the cyberattack’s impact on everyday healthcare.
2024-05-14 14:09:24