Large cyber attacks disabled the technological infrastructure of the Kettering Health medical network serving patients in Ohio. The incident occurred on the morning of May 20 and caused the disconnection of key digital systems used to provide medical care. This full-scale technological accident is having repercussions throughout the hospital.
According to reports from the network, the incident was a result of unauthorized access to internal systems. Experts are currently working to localize the problem, investigate possible attack vectors, and monitor the situation’s development. Details regarding the nature of the cyber attack remain undisclosed. Kettering Health representatives have not confirmed whether the attack involved ransomware, but investigations are underway, as mentioned here.
According to CNN’s data, the IT department employees found a note from the Interlock group with ransom demands. This same group previously disrupted operations at Dialysis clinics Davita and attacked Texas Technological University and its El Paso campus.
In light of the cyber attacks, all scheduled inpatient and outpatient procedures have been canceled. The medical network’s call center is also non-operational. However, emergency departments and clinics are still accepting patients as usual. Kettering Health has specific protocols for such incidents, enabling them to maintain essential services.
The Kettering Health network, managed by a nonprofit religious organization affiliated with the Church of the Seventh-day Adventists, includes 14 medical centers and numerous clinics primarily in the Dayton area. In 2023, nearly 400,000 visits were recorded at these facilities.
Cyber attacks in the medical sector are not uncommon. In January, a significant healthcare network in Maryland temporarily shut down due to cyber attacks, and in March, Microsoft warned hospitals globally to prepare for substantial cybersecurity investments to avoid the risk of critical system blockages.
The increasing sophistication of threats targeting medical infrastructure is concerning, with potentially devastating consequences. Malfunctions in electronic systems handling prescriptions, medical records, and treatment coordination can pose life-threatening risks in a field where every minute matters.