Last Friday, a large-scale computer attack targeted the CHU Rouen and paralyzed the information system of the institution
As a result, the staff was forced to spend many days without computers, resulting in many delays. If we do not know at the moment the origin of the hacking, it would be a ransomware attack.
In recent years, health facilities are particularly targeted by cyberattacks because they contain sensitive data, sometimes without the means necessary for their computer security. Last Friday, the University Hospital Center (CHU) of Rouen was the victim.
Computer Infection in a Hospital
The attack began in the early evening, targeting priority critical applications, such as those dedicated to the reception of patients and the writing of prescriptions, and making it impossible to access data. Quickly, the decision was made to shut down all computers in the hospital to stop the spread of the infection.
Obviously, such an incident was not without consequence for the staff, who rely daily on computer tools. Throughout the weekend, the teams had to adapt, returning to "the good old method of paper and pencil", according to the terms of Rémi Heym, Director of communication of the CHU.
No more e-mails, no more access to the patients' medical file, no more computer transmission of the results of the analysis ... Although the medical staff managed to run the establishment, many delays were recorded in several sometimes up to "several hours" for emergency care. Nevertheless, the essential seems to have been assured, insofar as the management of the CHU asserts that there has been no "endangering the health of hospitalized patients".
A ransom demand coming?
Last night, the situation was not yet fully restored, but the IT teams were busy gradually restarting the applications necessary for the operation of the hospital. With the help of the National Agency for Information Systems Security (Anssi), they were able to relaunch about a quarter of the software of the institution.
At present, we do not know everything about the origin of the cyber attack and its motivation. Nevertheless, it seems that the hospital has been confronted with ransomware piracy, encrypting data in exchange for ransom. But the management, which indicated that it would refuse to pay if such a request came to it, said that it had not received any such solicitation. Nevertheless, the Paris prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into "piracy targeting a state-run computer system", as well as an "attempted extortion by an organized gang".
0 Comments