As part of the never ending suckage of the year 2020, during the last week if October the University of Vermont Medical Center was hit with a cyberattack. It has not been resolved as yet and a cyberattack defense unit from the National Guard has been called in to help. The FBI is also involved in checking all devices for malware.
The system includes six hospitals, home health and hospice systems, and over three thousand doctors and nurses in Vermont and northern New York. At least three hundred medical center workers have been reassigned or have been put on leave because they cannot do their jobs. Medical appointments for chemotherapy, mammography, biopsies and other patient appointments have been affected.
Apparently the healthcare system is a target of high-level ransom attacks. This is really scary stuff! I don't even understand the full implications of such attacks but I do know it is not a feeling of safety.
Yes, I have heard of these attacks across the country. This attack in Vermont is especially serious because it involves so many different kinds of providers, and in a time of pandemic.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if our cyber security systems have a handle on where these attacks are coming from yet. It is very scary.
That is so important to protect all of our medical facilities from cyber attacks, it is a matter of life and death. I hope they quickly fix the situation you describe.
ReplyDeleteI had heard there was a threat but now to actually have an attack. Good grief it takes a real monster to do this during a pandemic.
ReplyDeleteOlga, Our world is so scary. After I just wrote that I could hear my mom's voice in my head from when I was a kid and it was 1968 and all hell was breaking loose. She said this out loud to no one in particular while watching the riots on TV. If she had lived to see anything past 1969 I am certain she would have uttered those words many more times. I also think she would have thought 2020 was the shits!
ReplyDeleteI haven't given much thought to cyber attacks. This has helped awaken me. It is truly an great danger to our world.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. What a horrid thing to happen, especially now. Those who are doing these attacks deserve to be stricken by Covid!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it shameful what bored, ignorant, people will do.
ReplyDeleteScary. Hope they get it fixed soon!
ReplyDeleteToo bad that happened. Fortunately, it hasn't happened in Hawaii yet.
ReplyDeleteThat happened in Okla City a couple of years ago. Shut down the computer systems of several hospitals. I happened to be scheduled for an endoscopy the first day of the attack and they were having to go "old school" pen and paper. It was amazing just how badly it crippled communications. They were hit by a group that basically wanted a ransom in order to get their systems unlocked.
ReplyDeleteThere are some truly evil people out there taking advantage of a terrible time to profit.
ReplyDeleteThat is horrible. I haven't heard of anything like that down here but if it strikes once it will often be heard from again.
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