December 27, 2023 at 04:06PM
German hospital network KHO confirmed a Lockbit ransomware attack on three hospitals in Bielefeld, Rheda-Wiedenbrück, and Herford, impacting their IT systems. Patient treatment continues, but emergency care is unavailable, leading to potential delays. Investigations are ongoing, and it’s unclear if patient data was stolen. Technical restrictions are in place, but essential patient information is accessible.
From the meeting notes, it is clear that the German hospital network Katholische Hospitalvereinigung Ostwestfalen (KHO) experienced a significant cyberattack on December 24, 2023, caused by Lockbit ransomware. This attack impacted the IT systems of three KHO-operated hospitals in Bielefeld, Rheda-Wiedenbrück, and Herford, Germany.
As a result of the attack, essential patient information remains accessible through the successful restoration of backups, and patient treatment continues as normal in the impacted hospitals. However, emergency care is currently unavailable at these hospitals, leading to critical delays for people urgently needing medical care.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of the damage and whether the attackers stole patient data or other sensitive information. At this time, KHO has not been added to the extortion portal on the dark web by the Lockbit ransomware gang.
The impact of the cyberattack on the IT systems of these critical healthcare facilities underscores the potential repercussions for people in medical emergencies. It will be essential to monitor the situation closely as investigations progress and to ensure that necessary measures are taken to mitigate the impact on patient care and data security.