Ransomware attack on Prospect Medical Holdings takes down hospital systems in 4 states

A ransomware attack late last week on Los Angeles-based Prospect Medical Holdings spread to hospitals in at least four other states before the healthcare group took its systems offline to prevent any further spread.

The attack hit hospitals and medical facilities at Prospect Medical Holdings affiliates in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Texas.

Officials with Prospect Medical affiliate Crozer Health Network in Pennsylvania said impacted hospitals included Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Taylor Hospital, Delaware County Memorial Hospital and Springfield Hospital.

CBS News reported that officials at the hospital in Springfield said the hospital had reverted to a paper system because most of the computers are offline and are not expected to come back online until later this week. CBS also reported that two hospitals in Rhode Island — Roger Williams Medical Center and Our Lady of Fatima — were also hit. 

In a Facebook post, Waterbury Health in Waterbury, Conn., said it had experienced a data security incident that disrupted its operations. Upon learning of the incident, all systems were taken offline to protect them and an investigation was launched with the help of cybersecurity specialists.

“Waterbury Health network continues to serve patients at all its locations using downtime procedures, but a few of its outpatient services have been affected, including outpatient blood draw and diagnostic imaging services which were not available Friday and Saturday,” said Waterbury Health.

Industry analysts said this latest attack mirrored the attack last fall on CommonSpirit Health in which the corporate entity was attacked in an attempt to infiltrate the corporate network and spread to affiliates. In both cases, cybersecurity officials took the networks offline to prevent any further spread — a common tactic among cyber defenders.

“Shutting off systems and networks helps prevent spread of the attack,” said Will Long, chief security officer at First Health Advisory. “However, it does not limit the other impacts on the healthcare community.”

Long said when a healthcare system or facility is impacted in a community, patients are diverted to other facilities. The neighboring…