US hospital hit by ransomware attack uses 40 bitcoins to save itself

After a week-long virus attack on the computer system of Hollywood Presbyterian Memorial Medical Center , Allen Stefanek, the center's CEO, announced that he had decided to pay hackers 40 bitcoins (equivalent to about 17,000 US dollars) to fix the problem. According to reports, the hospital's network was attacked by ransomware on February 5. In a letter, Stefanek explained that his hospital was attacked by encrypted files and hackers asked the hospital to buy encryption locks to solve the problem. It was previously reported that the ransom amount was 3.6 million US dollars, but Stefanek said that this data was not true and the hospital chose to use "a quick and effective way to restore the normal operation of its system."

US hospital hit by ransomware attack uses 40 bitcoins to save it

Its medical records system was functioning normally as of Monday, and the hospital said there was no indication that any patient or staff information had been compromised.