Another Reminder to be Vigilant for Ransomware Attack

Pharmaceutical giant Merck and Heritage Valley Health System are the latest healthcare organizations to be struck with a ransomware attack. The same event created havoc across Europe, as well. Electronic security experts point to a version of the Petya virus as the likely “pathogen.” While Merck was largely mum on how it fared, Heritage Valley said its network had “protections” put in place by its antivirus software vendor to ensure patient care was not disrupted. Media reports said some surgeries had to be rescheduled, however. This attack was not believed to be as widespread as the “WannaCry” attack in May, though the virus itself is thought to be similar. The latest attack is a reminder for urgent care providers, big and small, to ensure their systems are up to date with the current security standards and safeguards. If you’re unsure, get your security vendor to look into your system as soon as possible before the next attack occurs.