New Jersey Hospital System Hit By a Ransomware Attack

One of the largest hospital systems of New Jersey has reported that it was hit by a ransomware attack this month. According to the hospital, the attack disrupted care across its clinics, nursing homes, outpatient centers, psychiatric facility, and 17 hospitals. 

Hackensack Meridian Health said on Friday that the attack began on December 2 and forced it to cancel some surgical and other procedures. It is to be noted that no patients were harmed and the emergency rooms kept treating patients. 

The attack stopped only after the hospital paid a ransom to stop it but the Hackensack Meridian Health didn’t tell how much it paid to regain control over its systems. The system does hold insurance coverage for such emergencies. 

In the statement, Hackensack Meridian Health said,

“Our network’s primary clinical systems are operational, and our IT teams continue working diligently to bring all applications back online safely. Based on our investigation to date, we have no indication that any patient or team member information has been subject to unauthorized access or disclosure.”

Due to the ransomware attack, the hospital rescheduled nonemergency surgeries and doctors and nurses had to deliver care without access to electronic records. The system also said that it was advised by experts not to disclose about the ransomware attack until Friday. The hospitals’ primary clinical systems are back to being operational and the information technology (IT) specialists are working to bring all of its applications back online.