Here’s How 7 Institutions Dealt with Recent Ransomware Attacks
Staff members at MedStar discovered a ransomware attack on March 28 when the majority of their computer systems became inaccessible. Administrators immediately pulled their systems offline to prevent the further spread of the virus. Since then, a hospital spokesman said IT officials have been “working around the clock” to restore their systems.
Rather than demanding a flat fee, the hackers responsible for the ransomware gave the hospital a choice: They could pay $1,250 (three bitcoins) to the hackers to unlock one computer or $18,500 (45 bitcoins) to unlock the entire system.
As employees use handwritten notes and fax machines, computer experts have restored the hospital’s three main clinical information systems, allowing doctors to access medical records on a read-only basis. Officials said they’re close to restoring the entire system and have claimed the disruption hasn’t impacted their ability to care for patients. The FBI is investigating the attack.
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