When healthcare meets ransomware: it’s personal (literally)
In a plot straight out of a dark comedy, Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) recently found
itself facing an attack of both the digital and emotional kind. We often forget that even though a
Cyber Security attack feels technical it has a real world impact on those around us.
In February 2023, this Pennsylvania-based healthcare system was held hostage, not just
financially, but with the dignity of its patients at stake. BlackCat, a Russia-based ransomware
group with a taste for drama, accessed clinical images of breast cancer patients and demanded
a $5 million ransom.
When LVHN refused, BlackCat decided to share the photos with the world, yes you read that
right…
Now, LVHN is shelling out $65 million to the victims in what has become one of the most
scandalous data breaches in healthcare