France: Versailles hospital, victim of a cyberattack, limits the reception of patients

A cyberattack paralyzed all the networks of the Versailles hospital center.

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The Versailles hospital, in the Paris region, has been the victim of a cyberattack since Saturday evening.

Its activities and the reception of patients are disrupted.

The management recommends not to go there and has already started the transfer of certain patients.

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A blocked computer system, prescriptions written by hand, this cyberattack paralyzed all the networks of the Versailles hospital center.

The establishment is now operating in degraded mode, its emergencies are closed except for those who present themselves there spontaneously and several patients have already been transferred to other hospitals, "the heaviest" (three from the intensive care unit and three from that of neonatology), according to the Minister of Health, and other transfers could take place.

Samu is not affected.

Taking the health of the French hostage is inadmissible.

I was this evening with @jnbarrot with the teams at André-Mignot hospital, victim of a cyberattack.

All our means are deployed alongside the professionals mobilized to ensure the care of patients.

pic.twitter.com/pffcRJh8q5

— François Braun (@FrcsBraun) December 4, 2022

Already the Corbeil-Essonnes hospital

The Paris public prosecutor's office has opened a preliminary investigation for attempted extortion, access and maintenance in a digital system implemented by the State, introduction of data and obstruction of this system, all in an organized gang.

Management has also lodged a complaint and an investigation has been opened, entrusted to investigators from the sub-directorate for the fight against cybercrime.

This is the second major attack against a health establishment after that against

last August.

The hackers then demanded 10 million dollars in ransom, failing which they disseminated confidential patient information.

A threat carried out in September.

It took two months for the hospital to regain normal functioning.

It is not yet known whether the Versailles hospital is also the target of a ransom demand, but the Minister of Health clarified that the attack was quickly detected and reassures that all the measures of protection have been implemented.

In recent months, hospitals and health systems in France have been victims of cyberattacks from groups of hackers who have blocked or disclosed confidential information about their patients and put equipment out of service.

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(and with agencies)

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• France

• Cybercriminality

• Computer science

• Health and medicine