Digital Forensics Dispatch

Ransomware Attack on Hospital Results in Patients Death

September 29, 2020

An investigation is underway in the case of a German hospital who fell victim to a ransomware attack making their computer systems inoperable to admit new patients. Ultimately, a woman facing a life-threatening condition died after being turned away and recommended to a more distant hospital, according to WIRED.

The party responsible for the attack is currently unknown but is facing possible charges of negligent manslaughter. The attack occurred in mid-September and encrypted around 30 different hospital servers and left detailed information on how to contact the attackers. When a patient in serious condition arrived, they were forced to turn the patient away and recommended her to a hospital about 20 miles away, which resulted in about an hour in treatment delay. The patient ultimately died.

It is believed the attackers were targeting a nearby university associated with the hospital but ended up encrypting the hospitals systems instead.

When authorities communicated with the attackers and informed them the attack had hit the hospital responsible for treating emergency patients, the ransom was reportedly withdrawn, and a decryption key was provided. After that communication, the attackers are no longer able to be reached.

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