Cyber attack disrupts 16 hospitals in 4 US states

Shafaq News / Several American hospitals fell victim to a cyber attack that disrupted services in at least four states, according to the Monte-Carlo website.

Cybersecurity incidents have become a recurring phenomenon targeting hospitals. A spokesperson for a hospital network managing 16 facilities in California, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island confirmed they experienced a "data security-related incident."

"We are in the process of isolating and evaluating the impact of a cybersecurity attack. Our hospital follows downtime procedures, including using paper records, until this situation is resolved. We are working closely with IT security experts to resolve it as quickly as possible."

The attack led to the closure of the emergency services at a facility in Connecticut on the East Coast and the cancellation of previously scheduled surgeries.

Additionally, Waterbury Hospital, part of the network in Connecticut, reported that its staff had resorted to using pen and paper to document patient information to avoid any personal data leaks in light of these types of attacks.

Regarding the nature of the attack, the hospital spokesperson indicated it was a form of "ransomware," a type of malicious software that encrypts data and extorts its owners for a ransom in exchange for restoring access.