Cyberattack Paralyzes Kettering Health, Leads to Procedure Cancellations

Dayton, Ohio — A significant cyberattack hit Kettering Health on Tuesday morning, causing a system-wide outage and forcing the cancellation of elective inpatient and outpatient procedures across its network of 14 medical centers.

The healthcare provider, employing over 1,800 doctors, stated that the attack resulted in numerous operational challenges, including disruptions to its call center. Despite the hack, emergency rooms and clinics remained operational, continuing to see patients.

“Inpatient and outpatient procedures have been canceled for today,” Kettering Health announced. “Scheduled procedures will be rescheduled.” The network did assure that backup plans were activated to maintain patient care safety and quality.

According to sources, a ransom note retrieved revealed that ransomware had infiltrated Kettering’s computer systems, demanding payment for the restoration of access. The note warned that sensitive patient files could be leaked online if the healthcare provider did not negotiate a ransom.

The group behind the ransomware, identified as Interlock, has targeted various sectors in the past, including technology, manufacturing, and government institutions. Kettering Health has since contacted federal authorities, including the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), to assist in the investigation.

Health sector cyberattacks are on the rise, with the FBI noting 249 incidents against U.S. healthcare institutions last year alone. Hackers see hospitals as vulnerable due to their eagerness to ensure patient care remains uninterrupted.

This attack follows a series of high-profile breaches in the health sector, such as the ransomware attack on Ascension, a major healthcare provider, which disrupted patient care significantly. The increased frequency of these attacks has raised alarms among lawmakers and cyber experts about the security of healthcare infrastructure.

Kettering Health is currently working on assessing the damage while ensuring that urgent and emergency services remain available. The incident has prompted the healthcare network’s leadership to prioritize restoring key systems as the crisis unfolds. The community is urged to remain patient and await further updates as Kettering Health navigates this serious disruption.