Locky Ransomware Hits Methodist Hospital: A Warning

Posted: March 22, 2016 to News.

Tags: Ransomware, Malware, Data Breach

A new version of ransomware called Locky infected Methodist Hospital in Henderson, Kentucky. The hospital put itself on an internal state of emergency after the malware took over their system. Locky isn’t very different from other ransomware, but it's used by criminal network Dridex, which is causing it to spread very quickly. The Locky ransomware infects a single computer spreads to connected network systems to further its reach. It also locks users out while and deletes backups, so the only recourse a victim has is to pay the ransom. The Methodist Hospital attack began with a spoofed invoicing email that had an infected attachment file that, once opened, spread the infection from that computer to all of the hospital’s network, compromising other systems as it went. The hackers were asking for four bitcoins, which is about $1,600. Methodist Hospital wasn't the first hospital hit with ransomware. Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in Los Angeles, California recent had to pay about $17,000 to get its files back after a ransomware attack. Methodist Hospital, however, decided to shut down its whole system and bring each one back online after clearing them from any signs of infection. They switched to doing every task by hand and on paper in the meantime. The hospital’s attorney said that no patient information was stolen during the cyberattack and patient care was not impacted.

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Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, compliance, and digital forensics. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner credential (RP-1372) issued by the Cyber AB, is an NC Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner (License #604180-DFE), and completed MIT Professional Education programs in AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. Craig also holds CompTIA Security+, CCNA, and Hyperledger certifications.

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Locky Ransomware Hits Methodist Hospital: A Warning

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