Focus: Cybersecurity

Ransomware Attack Leads To Death Of Patient In Germany

Woman died after being diverted to facility 20 miles away when hackers shut down hospital where she was being admitted


A woman in Germany died because the Duesseldorf University Hospital was hit by a ransomware attack couldn’t accept emergency patients, so she was sent to another facility 20 miles away, according to an article on the Campus Safety website.

According to the Associated Press, hackers were able to gain access to the system via weak spot in some unidentified commercial add-on software.

Thirty servers at the hospital were encrypted and an extortion note left on one of the them.

Cyberattacks are increasing during the coronavirus crisis. Cybersecurity company Bitdefender found that pandemic-related attacks increased five-fold in the first two weeks of March. In May and June, an average of 60 percent of all received emails were phony, the article said.

In early April, Interpol warned of increasing ransomware attacks targeting hospitals, knowing the facilities are preoccupied and vulnerable, according to an article on the Security Boulevard website.

Read the full Campus Safety article.

 

 



September 29, 2020


Topic Area: Information Technology


Recent Posts

Preparing Healthcare Facilities for Wildfire Air Quality Events

Wildfire smoke puts pressure on mechanical systems already working hard to maintain controlled indoor environments.


UW Health Set to Open Expansion at East Madison Hospital

The $140 million project adds 120,000 square feet to the hospital, expanding its footprint to roughly 620,000 square feet.


Central Ohio Primary Care Physicians Falls Victim to Cyberattack

While the full extent of the incident is still under review, our initial investigation discovered that there are approximately 1.4 million individuals impacted.


The Role of Biophilic Design in Healthcare Facilities

Nature-inspired design can support staff well-being and create more welcoming, human-centered healthcare environments.


TriStar Centennial Medical Center Invests $90M in Women, Children's Hospital Expansions

The multi-year project will bring significant improvements to both hospitals.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.