The healthcare industry ended 2024 with the third largest cybersecurity breach of the year—Ransomware attack on Ascension Sacred Heart.
Ascension Sacred Heart is a non-profit healthcare giant operating more than 140 hospitals in the US. A ransomware attack compromised the sensitive information of its 5.6 million patients.
While 2024 saw several data breaches in the health sector, this was one among the largest. Here’s everything you need to know.
Ransomware attack on Ascension Sacred Heart: Details
Ransomware is a type of malware in which the victim’s personal files are kept encrypted or hostage unless a ransom is paid.
The ransomware attack on Ascension Heart’s network took place on 29 February 2024, but it remained undetectable till 8th May 2024. Moreover, it was officially notified to the affected patients only on 19th December 2024.
This external system breach caused significant disruption in Ascension’s network. Staff reported delays in retrieving patients’ lab reports, medication deliveries, and other patient care failures.
Ascension’s security team detected that the hackers accessed vast amounts of their data, including medical information, financial data, and patient personal identifiers.
Ascension Heart hasn’t published any name publicly for the people responsible for the attack. However, CNN insists it was a Black Basta ransomware group. Black Basta and some other groups have been linked to several high-profile cyber attacks, making them an active threat to cyber security.
How is the Ascension Sacred Heart responding to the breach?
Once the breach was detected, Ascension Sacred Heart proactively initiated its investigation and started taking actions to recover.
They hired cybersecurity firm Mediant, a subsidiary of Google, to assess the extent of damage and find resolutions. Though the system has been restored now, the organisation faced serious issues with its delay in detecting and notifying the breach.
Ascension Heart started notifying affected patients on 19th Dec 2024. The patients whose data was exposed will receive a comprehensive suite of identity protection services. This includes cyber scan services and credit monitoring for 2 years and a $1,000,000 insurance reimbursement policy to cover identity theft-related losses.
Ransomware: A growing threat to healthcare
Ransomware has become a big threat in recent years, especially in the healthcare industry. The number of attacks has increased by 13% in the last five years. Moreover, the average cost of recovery from such attacks reached $2.73 million in 2024 from $1.82 million in 2023.
In 2024 alone, multiple healthcare organisations like Boston’s Children’s Hospital, Star Health, and the UMC health system have become targets of ransomware cyber-attacks.
The attacks are not limited to the US, but the hackers are targeting the healthcare industry globally. Attacks like this not only compromise data security but also jeopardise the patient’s care. In Ascension’s case, the breach took down their charting, scheduling, and prescription writing systems.
While Ascension’s response provides patients with valuable support, such incidents highlight the urgent need to safeguard patient information and maintain trust in the healthcare industry.
-By Rinkle Dudhani and the AHT team
