Hackers demand $3m bitcoin ransom from hospital to unlock vital files

[OmegaStarScream]

An internal emergency has been declared at a major US hospital in Los Angeles following a widespread ransomware-style cyberattack which has left staff unable to access vital patient data, it has been revealed.

The Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Centre, located in the heart of LA, is now dealing with hackers who are reportedly demanding over 9000 bitcoins - which equates to roughly $3.6m – to release the encryption keys to computer systems that hold patient data, X-Ray scans, CT scans and crucial lab work.

See article here : http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/los-angeles-hackers-demand-3m-ransom-hospital-unlock-vital-files-1543962

Dumbest hackers ever , like they couldn't hack anything else . This kind of things will kill Bitcoin if they continue to do this shit

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[SFR10]

This is very bad as a image for BTCitcoin. Another criminal activity and this time, I think it's even worst since lives of the patients are in hand since their data is not accessible and could harm some of patients life. This is as bad as when they said ISIS used BTCitcoin for funding (although later proven wrong). This types of activity are the main reason, new law's gets implemented on different states regarding BTCitcoin usage and it's very frustrating to see these activities happen.

[Amph]

i'm sure that if the same news were about fiat, they were not talking about how "fiat is for criminal" and crap like that

so again this has nothing to do with bitcoin being the perfect tool for criminal but more about the incompetence of some istitutions...

[RodeoX]

When one of those patients dies as a result the charge will change from stealing to reckless homicide. I doubt these guys understand what they are in for. 

[seedtrue]

i'm sure that if the same news were about fiat, they were not talking about how "fiat is for criminal" and crap like that

so again this has nothing to do with bitcoin being the perfect tool for criminal but more about the incompetence of some istitutions...

It does have to do with Bitcoin though since most people unaware of BTC only hear about this kind of crap.

[pizza77]

When one of those patients dies as a result the charge will change from stealing to reckless homicide. I doubt these guys understand what they are in for.  

They probably hacked a hospital because it had weaker security than a bank and they only had mediocre hacking skills. If their opsec skills match their hacking skills they will get caught. The FBI will be scouring every computer in that hospital for evidence, and it will probably get help from the CIA to track the movement of any bitcoins paid as ransom.

[PinkLlama]

This is a shitty image for Bitcoin...

[Meuh6879]

Why pointing Bitcoin network when problem are ... from Microsoft OS ? (or security IT service from the hospital, pirated or free antivirus for example).

I don't care.



This shitty hospital have 1 server and 3 PC ... and no backup ?
Come one ... 

[Za1n]

Yes, this is pretty sad and a new low. These ransom attacks are bad enough, but if someone were to die or be injured because of this it is just plain wrong. The hospital should have backups that they can recover from, so even if they need to wipe the system clean it would result in only a few days of lost data, or data that would later need to be manually input, but the immediate damage and risk is patient safety.

[MF Doom]

This is very bad as a image for BTCitcoin. Another criminal activity and this time, I think it's even worst since lives of the patients are in hand since their data is not accessible and could harm some of patients life. This is as bad as when they said ISIS used BTCitcoin for funding (although later proven wrong). This types of activity are the main reason, new law's gets implemented on different states regarding BTCitcoin usage and it's very frustrating to see these activities happen.

It is bad, but btc is the perfect tool for hackers like these to operate.  This has happened to local town offices and municipalities, they get locked out of computer systems, and have no choice but to pay the ransom.  This seems to be the only real "useful" way to use btc...

[Gimpeline]

Don't they have back-up tapes so they can do a roll-back?
What kind of shitty data security do they have?
Some idiot at work infested the file server at work a few days ago too. The system was back with all the files after a few hours

[OnkelPaul]

There have been similar incidents in hospitals here in Germany, most recently this one: http://www.trojaner-info.de/daten-sichern-verschluesseln/aktuelles/cyber-angriff-auf-krankenhaus-in-neuss.html

Of course, these hackers are among the lowest imaginable scum on earth, and they do give bitcoin a really bad image, but why oh why are hospital networks not protected more effectively?
Internal networks (with medical equipment, sensitive patient data, etc) should be well-isolated from the internet, with only very tightly defined and monitored service channels to absolutely necessary outside services.
Files sent via e-mail? If the receiving computers are on an internal network with sensitive data, attachments should be quarantined without exception until their origin and content have been verified as safe.
Every file server accessible from Windows computers must be monitored for corruption, misbehaving clients must be identified and disconnected from the network. That requires some work and investment, but we're not talking about a small shop or restaurant here...

Onkel Paul

[lister storm]

its definitely not a good thing for bitcoin, also the amount of money demanded is huge, how they are thinking that the hospital is going to get that much?

[virtualdn]

Playing with people's health is something to avoid... well I guess they assume the risk

[NorrisK]

While I agree this is very bad for the image of bitcoin, it is even worse for the image of the hospital..

Why don't they have a decent back-up system in place? Normally this should not even be close to possible. Let alone the system adminds allowing anyone to download and run executables at all or outside of a VM environment.

[Aamir1]

Really dissapointing to hear..
Where is the humanity?

[teddy5145]

Fuck this hacker man, if you wanna hack and put some ransomware on their computer at least don't put it on Hospital where many people's lives are in danger and those files can be really important for the patient  
And thanks to him Bitcoin will have more bad image to it than it already is
 

[RodeoX]

When one of those patients dies as a result the charge will change from stealing to reckless homicide. I doubt these guys understand what they are in for.  

They probably hacked a hospital because it had weaker security than a bank and they only had mediocre hacking skills. If their opsec skills match their hacking skills they will get caught. The FBI will be scouring every computer in that hospital for evidence, and it will probably get help from the CIA to track the movement of any bitcoins paid as ransom.

I also think they are in for it. However this is not going to involve the CIA. They work outside the US and only on national security. This is a criminal matter for the FBI.

[Alley]

Just send the 9000 btc with no fee and it will never get confirmed because of full blocks.

[NorrisK]

Just send the 9000 btc with no fee and it will never get confirmed because of full blocks.

How will that help? It is not like the decription keys are sent directly after the transaction is initiated.. They will wait for several confirmations to make sure it is in their hands.

They should never pay such a ridiculous amount. That is only asking for more of these types of hacks.