US hospital pays ransom but doesn't get files decrypted - criminals ask for second payment

An American hospital that became a ransomware victim didn't get their encrypted files back after paying the ransom. The cybercriminals behind the ransomware demanded a second payment but the Kansas Heart Hospital didn't respond to that request.

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It's unclear which ransomware infected the hospital but the attack caused serious issues. No patient files were encrypted and no patient treatment was in danger but hospital employees could no longer access all kinds of files.

The cybercriminals who infected the hospital demanded an unnamed amount of money to decrypt the files. According to the hospital's president it was a 'small amount'. After the payment the files remained encrypted and the criminals demanded a second payment. This time the hospital didn't respond to their request.

"The policy of the Kansas Heart Hospital in conjunction with our consultants, felt no longer was this a wise maneuver or strategy", according to the president of the hospital. Instead the hospital moved over to a plan that was made earlier, because the hospital was aware these kind of attacks might happen.

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It's not the first time a hospital is the victim of ransomware. Earlier this year a hospital in the Washington region was part of a cyber attack that prompted the health care provider to shut down its computer system. In February a California hospital paid $17,000 in ransom to regain access to its medical records.

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