Hackers Hold Hospital Healthcare Data Hostage

Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center’s data systems have been infected with encrypted ransomware. The hospital says patient care has not been compromised, though the cyber-attack has forced them to revert to paper registrations and medical records and send patients seeking emergency care to other area hospitals.

For more than a week, hackers have shut down the internal computer systems at the Hollywood hospital for a ransom of 9,000 bitcoin, roughly $3.6 million US.

It’s highly likely this was a result in a staffer clicking a malicious link online or through phishing.

In the past the FBI has advised the victims to just pay the ransom, since the encryption is near unbreakable.

How much do you budget for your security awareness program?