A member of the Anonymous hacker group said the 2014 hack of Boston Children's Hospital was in support of a patient whose parents were under investigation for medical child abuse, according to an article on the Becker's Health IT and CIO Review website.
In April 2014, Boston Children's Hospital was struck with a series of cyberattacks attempting to infiltrate and crash the hospital's website by overwhelming its capacity.
The patient's parents took her to Boston Children's to treat intestinal problems but physicians at the hospital believed her symptoms were mainly psychiatric. The hospital filed medical child abuse charges alleging the parents were seeking unnecessary medical interventions, an allegation upheld by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.
The Anonymous hacker said he launched the cyberattack on the hospital to dissuade the hospital from these "parentectomies" in the future. He targeted the hospital's donation page to "hit BCH where they appear to care the most, the pocket book and reputation."
Over 700 Hospitals at Risk of Closure
Astrana Health Fully Acquires Prospect Health
Hospitals Recognized for Sustainability, Resilience Achievements
Caravel Autism Health Opens New Therapy Clinic in Missouri
On the Lookout: The Software Supply Chain as a Healthcare Cyberattack Vector