A cyberattack affected computer systems at multiple hospitals, closing emergency rooms and forcing ambulances to be rerouted in several states on Friday, according to the Associated Press.
According to CBS News, the data security incident caused problems at a facility owned by Prospect Medical Holdings in Los Angeles. The company reportedly has hospitals and clinics in California, Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. Security teams are reportedly working to assess and resolve issues caused by cyberattacks. (Related: Chinese hacking group compromised Commerce Secretary’s emails)
“When we learned of this, we took the system offline to protect it and enlisted the help of third-party cybersecurity experts to launch an investigation,” CBS News said. In a statement, it said it remains focused on meeting the immediate needs of patients while working diligently to return to normal operations as soon as possible while the investigation continues.
🚨BREAKING: Massive cyberattack disrupts hospitals in multiple states
Hospitals and medical services in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Texas, Rhode Island and California were forced to close emergency rooms and diverted ambulances.
Many primary care services remain… pic.twitter.com/C6Ueo8FR4F
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 4, 2023
Patients at Manchester Memorial Hospital and Rockville General Hospital in Connecticut were diverted elsewhere for treatment after the patients’ original medical center closed Thursday, the paper noted.
The Associated Press reported that the state’s FBI claimed to be working with authorities and affected medical centers to address the cyberattack. However, they could not comment further on the investigation.
Patients and facilities in Pennsylvania were also reportedly affected by the cyberattack. Facilities such as the Closer Chester Medical Center, Taylor Hospital, Delaware County Memorial Hospital and Springfield Hospital have faced problems, Philadelphia Inquirer I got it,
Seven hospitals in California reportedly use the affected Prospect Medical Holdings system. However, it is unclear to what extent these facilities were affected, according to the Associated Press.
