20 May Ransomware attackers collect ransom from Kansas hospital
Kansas Heart Hospital declined to pay the second ransom, saying that would not be wise. Security experts, meanwhile, are warning that ransomware attacks will only get worse.
Kansas Heart Hospital was the victim of a ransomware attack and after it paid the the first one, attackers boldly demanded a second ransom to decrypt data.
Kansas Heart Hospital president Greg Duick, MD told local media that patient information was not endangered and routine operations were not affected. He declined to say how much money Kansas Heart Hospital paid the cybercriminals, only that it was “a small amount.”
Wichita-based Kansas Heart is the second hospital to publicly state that it paid the ransom. Hollywood Presbyterian in February was forced to pay $17,000 after attackers originally demanded $3.4 million.
Duick explained that Kansas Heart Hospital did not pay the second ransom request and said that along with consultants it did not think that would be a wise move, even though attackers still appear to have some of their data locked. He also said that they think the attackers are an offshore operation.