Hospital in western Japan hit by ransomware attack

NHK -- Jun 21

Staff at a hospital in Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, are unable to access electronic medical records after the hospital became the target of a ransomware attack.

The server at Naruto Yamakami Hospital in Naruto City became infected with ransomware on Sunday afternoon. The cyberattack disrupted the connection to its electronic records and its online networks.

The hospital disconnected its PCs from outside networks and reported the incident to the police and administrative authorities including the health ministry.

On Monday, the hospital stopped accepting new outpatients. It is checking whether private data of their patients have leaked or not.

Hospital officials are looking into what the hackers are demanding, while working to restore the systems.

According to the hospital's homepage, it mainly provides rehab, nursing and other services to elderly patients. It has 90 beds and nine departments, which include internal medicine and surgery.

Last year, another hospital in Tokushima Prefecture came under a ransomware attack. It took the hospital more than two months to restore its functions.

Jun 21 (MBS NEWS) - 徳島県鳴門市の病院が身代金要求型のウイルスによるサイバー攻撃を受け、電子カルテを管理するシステムが使えなくなりました。  ...continue reading