Essonne: a hospital center targeted by a cyberattack, its services severely disrupted

Europe 1 with AFP 11:25 a.m., August 22, 2022

The South Francilien Hospital Center (CHSF) in Corbeil-Essonnes is the victim of a computer attack which began in the night from Saturday to Sunday around 1 a.m., seriously disrupting its activity, according to a press release from the establishment, confirming information from BFM TV.

A ransom demand of 10 million dollars, formulated in English, was demanded by the hacker or hackers, revealed a police source to AFP.

Patients redirected to public hospitals in Île-de-France

The Essonne hospital launched a white plan on Sunday.

This attack makes "for the time being inaccessible all the hospital's business software, the storage systems (in particular medical imaging) and the information system relating to patient admissions", indicated the establishment in a statement.

The National Authority for the Security and Defense of Information Systems (ANSSI) was "quickly seized by the crisis unit", he added, subsequently detailing the methods of taking charge of the patience.

Patients whose care requires access to the technical platform are redirected to public hospitals in Ile-de-France.

Those presenting spontaneously to the emergency room "are assessed and then possibly sent to the medical care center of the Sud Francilien hospital center", according to the press release.

For patients hospitalized at the CHSF, "the medico-technical services (in particular medical biology) are able to work in the short term in degraded mode".

A situation which "should have an impact on the activity of the operating room"

The establishment "does everything to maintain outpatient care", he promises, but "on the other hand, this exceptional situation should have an impact on the activity of the operating room".

"This attack does not impact the operation and security of the hospital building", reassures the hospital center which specifies that "all networks remain in operation (telephone with the exception of fax, automated distribution flows, etc.)."

Contacted by AFP, the management did not wish to comment on this text.

In April 2022, a cyberattack against the information system of the Groupement Hospitalier de Territoire (GHT) Cœur Grand Est had affected nine establishments and last March, a hospital in Ajaccio had also been the victim of a "ransomware-type cyberattack ".