The Kansas Heart Hospital in Wichita, recently found themselves at the mercy of a ransomware nightmare. Seeing as the demands were not unattainable or extremely high, the hospital decided to simply pay the Bitcoin, thinking that would be the end. Not quite. After the hospital paid the Bitcoin, the hackers decided that the hospital was a willing target for even more money! The hackers received payment and decided to hold back some of the data they had encrypted and proceeded to demand more money from the Kansas Hospital.
To my surprise, the Kansas Heart Hospital didn’t end up giving any more funds to the hackers. We aren’t sure if they decided the data was not of importance, or if the hospital employed some tech support from a trusted source. Whichever the case, I appreciate the hospital standing firm in their decision to not pay anymore Bitcoin. As many have been urged to not pay absurd ransomware demands, it can be terrifying when the circumstance comes about. Helpless, I’m sure is how many ransomware victims feel.
Nevertheless, it is important to be aware of malware and ransomware threats. Nearly half the hospitals in the United States have been attacked by some variable of malware/ransomware. An official at the Kansas Heart Hospital even told reporters that they “were aware of the ransomware threat and had a plan in place to deal with it”. Better make sure you have a plan B too.
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