A cyberattack affected computer systems and forced emergency rooms to close in multiple Hospitals Friday in several states, according to The Associated Press (AP).
The data security incident caused problems for facilities under the company Prospect Medical Holdings of Los Angeles, according to CBS News. The company reportedly has hospitals and clinics in California, Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. Security teams are reportedly working to assess and resolve issues caused by the cyberattack. (RELATED: Chinese Hacking Group Breaches Commerce Secretary’s Emails)
“Upon learning of this, we took our systems offline to protect them and launched an investigation with the help of third-party cybersecurity specialists. While our investigation continues, we are focused on addressing the pressing needs of our patients as we work diligently to return to normal operations as quickly as possible,” Prospect Medical Holdings said in a statement, per CBS News.
🚨BREAKING: MAJOR CYBERATTACK DISRUPTS HOSPITALS IN MULTIPLE STATES
Hospitals and medical services in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Texas, Rhode Island, and California have been forced to close emergency rooms and ambulances have been diverted.
Many primary care services remain… pic.twitter.com/C6Ueo8FR4F
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 4, 2023
Patients at Manchester Memorial and Rockville General hospital in Connecticut were diverted to other locations for treatment Thursday, since patients’ original medical centers closed, the outlet noted.
The state’s FBI claimed it was working with authorities and affected medical centers to address the cyberattack, according to The AP. However, they could not comment further on the investigation.
Pennsylvania patients and facilities were also reportedly impacted by the cyberattack. Facilities including the Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Taylor Hospital, Delaware County Memorial Hospital and Springfield Hospital faced troubles, The Philadelphia Inquirer noted,
Seven California hospitals reportedly use the affected Prospect Medical Holdings system. However, it is unknown to what extent these facilities were impacted, per The AP.