Hackers hold hospital's medical devices hostage

A hospital in California has been taken offline by a ransomware attack that has affected internet-connected medical devices, emails and digitised patient records

The Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles suffered a cyberattack in which the attackers demanded 9,000 bitcoin (£2.6m), in order to restore the hospital’s medical services.

The shut-down of digital services resulted in emergency room delays, 911 patients being diverted to other hospitals and the need for all registrations and medical records to be written by hand on paper, according to CBC News.

The news site also reported that computers used for tasks like lab work transmittal, documentation, sharing of X-rays and CT scans have been taken offline and that some outpatients have missed treatments due to the fallout of this attack.

Hospital CEO and president Allen Stefanek confirmed the attack as both The Los Angeles Police Department and The FBI launched investigations into the case.

CBC News reported that while Stefanek described the attack as random, he didn't expand on the type of malware being used or how the hospital's system became infected.

The Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center investigation is ongoing, FBI spokeswoman Ari Dekofsky told Reuters. She declined to release further details.