Communications of the ACM
Officials Warn of Cyberattacks on Hospitals as Virus Cases Spike
Officials say the hackers targeting American hospitals are affiliated with the same group that targeted a health network in a ransomware attack last month.
Credit: Raphael Satter/Reuters
Hundreds of American hospitals are being targeted in cyberattacks by the same Russian hackers who American officials and researchers fear could sow mayhem around next week's election.
The attacks on American hospitals, clinics and medical complexes are intended to take those facilities offline and hold their data hostage in exchange for multimillion-dollar ransom payments, just as coronavirus cases spike across the United States.
"We expect panic," one hacker involved in the attacks said in Russian during a private exchange on Monday that was captured by Hold Security, a security company that tracks online criminals.
Some hospitals in New York State and on the West Coast reported cyberattacks in recent days, though it was not clear whether they were part of the attacks, and hospital officials emphasized that critical patient care was not affected.
From The New York Times
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