A hospital in France , specifically in the suburb of Versailles, was forced to halt all operations over the weekend due to a cyberattack, resulting in the cancellation of all operations and the transfer of some patients to other facilities, according to local reports. The hospital in question is the André-Mignot in Chesnay-Rocquencourt, Yvelines. A cyberattack appears to have started on Saturday evening at 9:00 p.m. local time, causing some screens , according to Franceinfo.
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Six patients were transferred from intensive units care to nearby hospitals and neonatal as staff struggle to continue care and keep outpatient services running, according to an AFP report
Health Minister Francois Braunsaid the attack had caused a “complete reorganization of the hospital.” Additional staff had also been brought into the hospital as many key machines now require monitoring , as they are no longer online due to the cyberattack.
The Paris prosecutor's office opened a preliminary investigation into a data breach and attempted extortion after the hospital's formal complaint on Sunday.
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For several months, hospitals and health systems in France have been targeted by hackers.
It appears that the cyberattack on the 700-bed hospital in France was carried out by ransomware, although this has not been officially reported.
It’s not unlikely that such a scenario would be the case, as ransomware attacks even on hospitals are very common. A major ransomware attack on another facility near Paris also took place this year. The Centre Hospitalier Sud Francilien (CHSF) in Corbeil-Essonnes was forced to return to pen and paper after being attacked by the group behind the LockBit 3.0. The attackers demanded a ransom of $10 million.
The hackers carried out threats from the attack on CHSF, publishing sensitive patient information they stole.
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A few months ago, the GHT Cœur Grand Est hospital group said it was forced to cut off internet access to its Vitry-le-François and Saint-Dizier hospitals after being asked to pay a ransom of $1.3 million.
It is not yet known whether the group that attacked the André-Mignot hospital in France managed to steal data during the cyberattack.
Cyberattacks on hospitals are a serious problem that is only getting worse over time. The preservation of sensitive patient data and the need for proper and continuous operation of services and systems make hospitals attractive targets for hackers . As threats continue to evolve, it is important for healthcare institutions to remain vigilant and do everything they can to protect themselves from attacks.
Source: www.infosecurity-magazine.com
