Hackers using ransomware to hold Calif. hospital data hostage
Hackers are holding a Hollywood, Calif., hospital ransom, demanding $3.6 million in Bitcoin to release the vital patient data they encrypted in a ransomware cyberattack.
The Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, located in central Los Angeles, declared an internal emergency since medical staff cannot access patient data.
In an NBC Los Angeles report, the hospital’s president and CEO, Allen Stefanek, said that hospital staff first noticed “significant IT issues” on February 12. However, investigations show that the cyberattack may have started more than a week ago.
The hospital said care has not been impacted, but NBC reported some outpatients have missed treatments and others have had to drive around town to pick up test results and other medical documentation that normally would be delivered electronically.
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.