A cyberattack disrupted hospitals operated by Prospect Medical Holdings across multiple U.S. states, forcing the closure of emergency rooms and impacting medical care. The attack prompted manual administrative work and paper-based systems. The extent of the problem is under investigation. The FBI is involved. This marks the 157th cyberattack on a U.S. healthcare organization in the current year, according to cybersecurity analyst Allan Liska.
A cyberattack has resulted in the disruption of hospitals across several states. The focus of the attack was on medical facilities managed by Prospect Medical Holdings. This incident led to the closure of emergency rooms and the postponement of medical care.
The cyber onslaught targeted various medical centers under the administration of Prospect Medical Holdings across multiple states, disrupting computer systems. This resulted in the closure of certain emergency rooms and the diversion of ambulance services.
John Riggi, who provides national cybersecurity and risk advisory services to the American Hospital Association, shared with the Associated Press that the recovery process in such cases can extend over several weeks. During this interim period, hospitals have had to revert to manual administrative tasks and paper-based systems to manage functions like record-keeping between different departments.
Currently, experts are working to ascertain the full scope of the issue that was reported towards the end of the previous week, as reported by the AP.
Headquartered in California, Prospect Medical Holdings operates hospitals across states like Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania, in addition to its home state. The incident was initiated on Thursday, prompting the organization to disconnect its systems and initiate an inquiry with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts.
As outlined by The Guardian, the cyberattack compelled the emergency departments of Manchester Memorial and Rockville General Hospitals to cease operations for a significant portion of Thursday. Consequently, patients had to be redirected to nearby medical facilities.
Although the emergency departments were reopened later on Thursday, many primary healthcare services remained unavailable on Friday. Elective surgeries, outpatient appointments, blood drives, and other services were also suspended.
CBS News has reported the involvement of the FBI in the ongoing investigation.
Allan Liska, a ransomware analyst associated with the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future, informed NBC News that the breach at Prospect Medical Holdings constitutes the 157th cyberattack on a healthcare organization within the United States this year.