A coordinated ransomware attack has disrupted operations at 14 hospitals across Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, forcing facilities to divert emergency patients and revert to paper-based record keeping. The attack, attributed to a group known as BlackStar, encrypted critical systems including electronic health records, scheduling platforms, and laboratory information systems.
Federal cybersecurity officials from CISA are on-site assisting with incident response and recovery efforts. The attackers are reportedly demanding $30 million in cryptocurrency for decryption keys, though hospital administrators have stated they will not pay the ransom.
The incident has renewed calls for mandatory cybersecurity standards in the healthcare sector, which remains one of the most targeted industries for ransomware due to the critical nature of its operations and historically underfunded IT security programs.
