According to ransomware removal experts, this year marked a continuous rise in news related to ransomware attacks on medical institutions and hospitals. However, this time cybercriminals were involved in an attack against a hospital in Missouri that affected many patients and their families.
Details of the Attack
Cass Regional Medical Center (Missouri) was the one that was attacked with a ransomware. Cybercriminals managed to infect their systems at 11 am on July 9th which prompted the authorities to shut down EHR as a preventive measure. Spokesperson from Cass were confident and stated that patients’ data was not affected. Moreover, almost 90 percent of the disaster recovery was complete within the first few days.
Hospital authorities collaborated with a forensic firm, in order to decrypt and remove ransomware from the affected data. EHR was initially shutdown but reinstated after the initial investigation was completed.
The attack affected the entire enterprise IT infrastructure of Cass, which consisted of electronic health records. These included more than 30 inpatient beds. As a result of the attack, Cass had to divert its ambulances that were carrying patients dealing with stroke and trauma to different locations.
The Elephant in the Room
The attack acts as a reminder against the ferocity and dangerousness of ransomware attacks, which can put lives of patients in jeopardy. According to ransomware removal experts, this incident can be viewed as a learning experience against the impact of cyber attacks in the healthcare industry. Moreover, doctors, nurses and other hospital figures have also realized the severity of the situation and have been supporting the inclusion of stronger cybersecurity measures in hospitals and medical institutions.
According to ransomware removal experts, it is important to note that Cass is just a part of a long list of healthcare institutions that have been ravaged by ransomware attacks in the recent memory. Similar attacks have been reported in the U.S. as well as other countries since cybercriminals are find it easier to breach the weak digital security of hospitals.
