SickKids Hospital Hit With Ransomware
SickKids, a research hospital in Toronto, Ontario, responsible for the health and well-being of children, suffered a ransomware attack on Dec. 18, 2022 that delayed lab and imaging results, knocked out phone lines and shut down the staff payroll system.
SickKids hospital is expected to be operating at reduced capacity for a “matter of weeks,” before all systems are functioning as normal. While patient care continued, the hospital reported delays with retrieving lab and imaging results and longer wait times for patients and families.
SickKids reported in the Sunday statement that it has restored "over 60 per cent of priority systems" as of Jan. 1 and has not made a ransomware payment.
Ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly common as developing these attacks can be extremely cheap, and easier for hackers.
Just recently, a Newfoundland and Labrador health authority, Eastern Health, alongside a union representing Ontario public high school teachers, have been affected by ransomware.
Ransomware is a cyberattack where hackers hold your files and data hostage, usually via encrypting the data into unreadable gunk, or threatening to leak your data, whilst demanding large sums of money in return.
STAYING PROTECTED AGAINST RANSOMWARE
If you are ever affected by ransomware, it is important to never pay the sum asked for by the hacker, as there is no guarantee they will do as they say. Instead, contact a local cybersecurity expert to deal with the situation.
To stay protected against ransomware, and other cyberattacks, make sure your antivirus software is kept up to date, and never trust any suspicious looking files or links, especially from those unknown.
