French hospital suspends operations after cyber attacks

A hospital in Versailles, near Paris had to cancel operations and transfer some patients after being hit by a cyberattack over the weekend, France’s health ministry said Sunday.

Six patients had been transferred by Saturday evening — three from intensive care and three from the neonatal unit — said the minister, Francois Braun, as he visited the hospital. Others might follow, he added.

The regional health agency (ARS) said the hospital had cancelled operations, but was doing everything possible to keep walk-in services and consultations running.

Extra staff had to be called in to the intensive care unit because, while the machines there were still functioning, more people were needed to watch the screens as they were no longer working as part of a network, aid Braun.

The cyberattack had led to a “total reorganisation of the hospital” the minister added.

The Paris prosecutors office has opened a preliminary investigation into hacking state data and attempted extortion, after the hospital filed a formal complaint Sunday.

For several months now, hospitals and health systems in France have been targetted by hackers for such cyber attacks.

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Source: France 24