Headline
Hundreds of Thousands Impacted in Children's Hospital Cyberattack
Though the Chicago-area hospital did not pay a ransom, a host of sensitive medical information is now at risk.
Source: Helen Sessions via Alamy Stock Photo
A full 791,000 of patients have had their personal information compromised in a cyberattack that resulted in Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago taking its systems offline.
Cybercriminals accessed the children’s hospital’s systems, disrupting its patient portal, communications, and ability to access medical records.
In a data breach notification this week, the hospital cited the investigation as ongoing and said that the threat actors accessed the systems between Jan. 26 and 31, 2024.
Once the hospital went offline, it implemented standard response procedures, including its downtime procedures, though it has remained open throughout the duration of the investigation thus far.
While still determining the nature and scope of the attack, the hospital said, information “relating to certain individuals, such as name, address, date of birth, dates of service, driver’s license number, email address, health claims information, health plan, health plan beneficiary number, medical condition or diagnosis, medical record number, medical treatment, prescription information, Social Security number, and telephone number, was impacted,” though it varies depending on the individual.
The hospital’s notice did not specifically say that it was the victim of a ransomware attack, but it noted that the hospital did not pay a ransom of any kind.
“Experts have advised that making a payment to cybercriminals does not guarantee the deletion or retrieval of data that has been taken,” according to the hospital.
The cybercriminals in question are in the Rhysida ransomware gang, which has claimed responsibility of the attack, listing the hospital on its website and the apparent 600GB it claims to have stolen as “sold.”
The hospital is in the process of informing affected individuals and is providing 24 months to Experian Identity Works. A call center is available to address questions and concerns about the information released on the cyberattack as well.