Medical device manufacturer hit by cyberattack, possibly from Iranian-backed hackers
A medical device manufacturer based in the U.S. said on Wednesday it was experiencing a “global network disruption” as a result of a cyberattack. A report from the Wall Street Journal indicates an Iran-affiliated hacker group may be responsible.
In a statement, Michigan-based Stryker—which manufactures surgical equipment and joint replacements—said it lost access to its “Microsoft environment” as a result of a data breach but believes the incident has been contained. The company said no ransomware or other malware was deployed and that it is working to restore full system access while operating under business continuity measures.
Impacts to its business operations appear to be global. In its own report, a news outlet in Ireland said the attack affected computers in Ireland. The Irish Examiner said the type of attack is known as a ‘wiper’ attack, wherein intruders target IT systems and render them inoperable, the goal being to delete as much data as possible.
The outlet said such attacks are not typically conducted for financial gain, but are instead designed to be destructive.
In Ireland, the Stryker facility was reported to be effectively shut down, with employees telling the outlet their devices had been wiped and were no longer usable.
“This shutdown is having a detrimental financial impact on the company as it effectively disables the technology used to manufacture Stryker’s range of medical products and devices,” journalists at the Irish Examiner wrote.
“The focus will be to try and restore production to any machines that were put out of action as a result of the attack,” they added. “It is understood that some machines used to manufacture Stryker's medical devices are still in operation in Cork, however, it is not known how long they will continue operating for.”
Impacted devices included company smartphones. The outlet noted that Stryker does business with Israel, who along with the U.S. is currently bombing Iran.
Staff in Ireland were sent home for the day, the Irish Examiner confirmed.
Hospitals brace for impact
It’s not clear if orders and communications at Stryker were disrupted. In a separate report, CNN said sources at U.S. hospitals said they were on alert for the possibility of shipments of surgical implants and other medical devices being delayed.
CNN added that a Stryker-owned system called LIFENET, used by emergency responders, was impacted in the attack. The Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services told the outlet that transmissions had been disrupted throughout the state, making it more difficult for hospitals to communicate with ambulances.
EMTs had to rely on direct radio transmissions, the group told CNN.
Iranian hackers claim credit
As mentioned above, the Wall Street Journal said the hackers may be pro-Iranian. In its coverage of the cyberattack, the outlet said employees of Stryker whose devices were disabled by the data breach displayed the emblem of an Iranian hacker group on the screen.
It’s unclear if Iran is actually responsible for the attack, or if the hacker group merely sympathizes—or if another group is simply making it appear that Iran was behind the incident.
This is a developing story.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.