Ransomware Hits Hospital; $3.6 Million Demanded
Posted by: Timothy Weaver on 02/16/2016 11:06 AM
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Some ransomware hackers have crippled a Hollywood hospital by shutting down machines critical to CT scans, laboratory, and pharmacy work. The hackers are demanding a ransom of US $3.6 million. Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center declared an emergency.
He maintained impact to patients was limited. However, patients are having to travel an hour's drive to collect lab tests. And the hospital has resorted to using fax machines to communicate with the outside world.
"It was not a [targeted] malicious attack, it was a random attack," Stefanek says.
Although the ransomware has not been named, it is believed to be a variant of Cryptowall. The FBI has been called in to investigate. Interpol has formed an international ransomware task force in a bid to identify the attackers.
Source: The Register
He maintained impact to patients was limited. However, patients are having to travel an hour's drive to collect lab tests. And the hospital has resorted to using fax machines to communicate with the outside world.
"It was not a [targeted] malicious attack, it was a random attack," Stefanek says.
Although the ransomware has not been named, it is believed to be a variant of Cryptowall. The FBI has been called in to investigate. Interpol has formed an international ransomware task force in a bid to identify the attackers.
Source: The Register
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