Ransomware

What the LockBit ransomware gang’s return means for healthcare

March 11, 2024 - Since its emergence four years ago, the LockBit ransomware gang has been ruthlessly targeting organizations across critical infrastructure at alarming rates. The group’s constant tactic modifications and vast network of affiliates enabled it to deploy ransomware against more than 2,000 victims and receive more than $120 million in ransom payments, according to the FBI. But in...


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HHS Settles Ransomware Investigation With Behavioral Health Provider

by Jill McKeon

Green Ridge Behavioral Health agreed to pay $40,000 and implement corrective actions to resolve a ransomware investigation conducted by the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR). This marks the second-ever...

Authorities Successfully Disrupt LockBit Ransomware Group

by Jill McKeon

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) and UK authorities announced the disruption of the LockBit ransomware group at a press conference held in London on February 20. LockBit was a notorious ransomware...

GAO Urges HHS to Increase Oversight of Ransomware Practices

by Jill McKeon

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued recommendations to HHS surrounding its oversight of ransomware practices across the sector in a recent report. The report assessed four federal...

Akira Ransomware Aggressively Targets Healthcare, HC3 Warns

by Jill McKeon

The Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) issued an analyst note about Akira ransomware, a group that has been active since at least May 2023. In its short tenure, Akira has conducted...

US Fertility Reaches $5.75M Data Breach Settlement

by Jill McKeon

US Fertility (USF) reached a $5.75 million settlement to resolve allegations of negligence following a 2020 ransomware attack and data breach that impacted nearly 900,000 individuals. USF provides IT...

Ransomware Makes ECRI’s Top Health Tech Hazards List

by Jill McKeon

ECRI named ransomware as one of the top ten health tech hazards of 2024 in its annual report, following a record year for healthcare data breaches. Ransomware and other cyber risk areas have made...

Researchers Observe Increase in Emerging Ransomware Groups Targeting Healthcare

by Jill McKeon

The healthcare sector was hit hard by data breaches in 2023, with more than 540 organizations reporting breaches to HHS last year. Ransomware remains a top threat to healthcare, as exemplified by the...

Healthcare Data Breaches Continue to Impact Patients in New Year

by Jill McKeon

In 2023, more than 540 organizations reported healthcare data breaches to HHS, impacting upwards of 112 million individuals.  As the new year begins, the aftermath of 2023 breaches continues to...

NY AG: Refuah Health Must Invest $1.2M In Security Following Ransomware Attack

by Jill McKeon

New York Attorney General Letitia James reached an agreement with Refuah Health Center over alleged failures to protect the private health information of patients, which led to a ransomware attack....

LockBit Ransomware Claims Capital Health Cyberattack

by Jill McKeon

Capital Health has restored all systems and operations in the wake of a November 2023 cyberattack that caused a network outage, it assured patients in a recent update. However, LockBit ransomware has...

Top Healthcare Cybersecurity Predictions For This Year

by Jill McKeon

As the new year begins, the healthcare sector will undoubtedly continue to grapple with a significant volume of cybersecurity threats and challenges. The year 2023 saw record-breaking data breach figures, with more than 540 organizations...

DOJ Disrupts BlackCat Ransomware Variant, Offers Decryption Key to Victims

by Jill McKeon

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has successfully disrupted the BlackCat ransomware group and offered a decryption tool to more than 500 victims around the world. Also known as ALPHV or Noberus,...

Kentucky Health System Confirms Ransomware Attack Impacting 2.5M Individuals

by Jill McKeon

Kentucky-based Norton Healthcare confirmed that a May 2023 ransomware attack on the health system impacted 2.5 million individuals, according to a report filed with the Maine Attorney General’s...

Hospitals Urged to Secure Systems Against Citrix Bleed Cybersecurity Vulnerability

by Jill McKeon

Hospitals should take immediate action to protect against the Citrix Bleed cybersecurity vulnerability, the American Hospital Association (AHA) warned, following multiple alerts by government agencies...

Thanksgiving Day Healthcare Cyberattack Impacts Hospitals Across Multiple States

by Jill McKeon

Ardent Health Services, which owns 30 hospitals and 200 sites of care across six states, confirmed a healthcare cyberattack that occurred on the morning of November 23. Hospitals in multiple states...

BlackSuit Ransomware Is Credible Threat to Healthcare Cybersecurity, HC3 Says

by Jill McKeon

HC3 issued an analyst note regarding BlackSuit ransomware, a relatively new group that appears to be similar to the Royal ransomware family and its notorious predecessor, Conti ransomware. HC3 warned...

FBI, CISA Urge Immediate Action to Mitigate Rhysida Ransomware Risks

by Jill McKeon

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) released a joint...

NY AG Secures $450K From US Radiology Over Data Security Failures

by Jill McKeon

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a $450,000 settlement with US Radiology Specialists over alleged health data security failures that resulted in a ransomware attack. The Attorney...

40 Countries Pledge Not to Pay Ransoms at International Counter Ransomware Summit

by Jill McKeon

The International Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI) held its third summit in Washington, DC, with representatives from 50 countries joining together to build upon counter-ransomware projects and...