Becker's Healthcare June 14, 2024
Hackers were able to launch a ransomware attack on St. Louis-based Ascension, disrupting its IT systems and operations for 140 hospitals, because an employee did something thousands of people do every single day.
“An individual working in one of our facilities accidentally downloaded a malicious file that they thought was legitimate,” stated Ascension in a June 12 statement posted to the health system’s website. “We have no reason to believe this was anything but an honest mistake.”
The ransomware attack occurred on May 8, forcing hospitals and clinics off the EHR system. Care teams reverted to paper records as the health system worked with cybersecurity experts to restore IT functionality. EHR access has been restored in many markets.
Ascension also...