Boston Childrens Hospitals Affiliates Hacked by Malware

13 Feb 2020 · 2 min

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In a February 2020 NBC10 Boston field report, reporter Katherine Sotnik and security analyst Robert Siciliano detail a malware attack that crippled the computer systems of more than 100 pediatrician offices linked to Boston Children’s Hospital. The breach prevented doctors from accessing electronic medical records, forcing staff to revert to pen‑and‑paper, canceling appointments, and leaving parents anxious during the peak cold‑and‑flu season. Boston Children’s Hospital itself was not directly compromised; its IT team quickly quarantined and secured its own network. Siciliano explains that the attackers may have exploited a server vulnerability or conducted a targeted ransomware operation to steal or hold sensitive health data. He advises parents to keep backup copies of their children’s medical records. The segment includes statements from affected patients, a hospital spokeswoman, and emphasizes the broader implications for healthcare cybersecurity.

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Now to that cyber attack that's affecting more than 100 pediatricians' offices and thousands of patients too. Doctors not able to access important medical records, and tonight parents understandably are on edge. NBC 10's Kat Sotnick speaking with a security analyst tonight. She's live for us in Needham with this story.
Kat and Shannon, of course we are in the height of cold and flu season. Pediatrician offices like the one right here behind me have been absolutely packed in this attack. Certainly not helping things.
The stakes are much higher when you're talking about people's health.
Concerned parents Wednesday after a malware attack disrupted the computers of more than 100 doctors' offices affiliated with Boston Children's Hospital.
They don't have access to anyone's chart, any of this critical information that could be the matter of life and death.
Carrie Tetreault visited one of the many providers affected, Needham Pediatrics.
All of the systems are down and, and we're relying on pen and paper.
Other patients had their appointments canceled.
I was scheduled for my physical and they confirmed on Monday, um, but then their system went down, so they didn't have it.
Children's Hospital itself was not affected by the cyberattack. A hospital spokeswoman says they've worked swiftly to quarantine their systems and secure the unaffected ones.
Robert Siciliano, a security analyst with ProtectNow, says parents should do this: always need to make sure that they have a backup copy of their child's medical record.
And he says it could be a while before we know more on the repercussions of this attack.
Usually the motivation behind criminals when they hack servers is, A, they there was some type of a vulnerability in that server and the criminals simply found it and they exploited it, or if it was a targeted attack, then they went after the medical offices on purpose to steal sensitive information or to hold the data for ransom.
And Children's Hospital says their IT teams are currently working on all of this, but no word here tonight when it will be back to normal. We're live in Needham. I'm Katherine Sotnik, NBC 10 Boston.