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How 100 Romanian hospitals switched to pen and paper to defeat a national cyber-attack

How 100 Romanian hospitals switched to pen and paper to defeat a national cyber-attack

Summary

In February 2024, over 100 Romanian hospitals faced a severe cyber-attack that shut down their computer systems. To protect patients, hospitals disconnected from the internet and switched to manual record-keeping with pen and paper while cybersecurity teams worked to stop the hackers.

Key Facts

  • Romanian hospitals were targeted by a mass cyber-attack through a medical software called Hippocrates.
  • The hackers used ransomware named BackMyData, which scrambled hospital files and demanded payment in bitcoin.
  • Over 100 hospitals were ordered to disconnect from the internet to stop the spread of the attack.
  • Medical staff switched to manual processes, using pen, paper, and offline tools to continue patient care.
  • The cyber-attack lasted about four days, during which hospitals created workarounds to ensure safety.
  • Cybersecurity teams worked with the software maker to identify infected hospitals and remove the hackers.
  • 26 hospitals were confirmed infected with the ransomware during the attack.
  • The Romanian national cyber-security center communicated regularly with the media to keep the public informed.
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