How Ransomware Fallout Is Rippling Through the US Health Care System
An ALPHV/Blackcat ransomware attack on Change Healthcare is wreaking havoc for patients and hospitals.
On Feb. 21, ALPHV/Blackcat hit payment and claims system Change Healthcare with a ransomware attack that is having widespread ramifications. The attack has left pharmacies scrambling to fill patient prescriptions and insurance providers unable to reimburse provider claims.
Change Healthcare, owned by UnitedHealth Group (UHG), took systems offline to contain the attack, NBC News reports. It has since established “multiple workarounds to ensure provider claims are addressed and people have access to the medications and care they need,” according to a UHG statement.
Why is this attack causing so much disruption in the health care industry? What can the cybersecurity community expect from ALPHV/Blackcat next? And how can health care prepare for the continued risk of ransomware?