UMC Vice-Chancellor Dr. Louann Woodward, Vice-Chancellor of Health Affairs Dr. Alan Jones, and Jackson FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Ikon held a press conference to discuss the cyberattack. The press conference is posted below, courtesy of WLBT.
Highlights of Presser:
* UMMC sustained a cyberattack early this morning. Emergency operations plan has been triggered.
* Clinics and all elective procedures are conceled.
* Clinical equipment and operations remain functional.
* In-person classes for students continue. Too bad.
* Feds are involved in the investigation.
* Attackers have communicated to UMMC. UMMC is working with federal authorities on the communications.
* All IT systems have been shut down. Risk assessments will be made before they are restored.
* The hospital is still taking patients, especially Level I trauma patients. The ER is open.
* Dr. Jones said the hospital "knows how to take care of patients" without electronic medical records with little impact to the patient.
* "Some of us in the room have been here long enough to remember taking care of patients with pen and paper," said Dr. Woodward.
* Medcom is operational.
32 comments:
No representation from the IT or cybersecurity staff at UMMC for this important event? It seems like they should all show up in their best UMMC vests and parkas to accept accountability!
This is what happens when you have insular leadership at an institution where every single leader in that Vice Chancellor's office comes from the same Emergency Medicine clinical department. Recall in 2016 when UMMC paid almost 3 million dollars for a cybersecurity breach. The lack of representation from cybersecurity team at UMMC shows just how little this institution has invested and cares in forward operating protective technology. Probably really hard for emergency medicine physician "leader" to understand until grave consequences like this occur.
Cybersecurity is underfunded at UMMC and now they are paying the price.
IT has bigger things to do. And the responsibility isn't all on them to take accountability.
Which active directory domain administrator are opened an infected attachment?
@11:35 well hopefully their IT/cybersecurity staff are preoccupied right now
I’m willing to bet a dozen somosas that the cyber attack will be found to have originated from the same country in which they have outsourced a considerable amount of their IT support. Another victim of myopic boomer costcutting and outsourcing.
The games have begun!
Who do you think is actually doing the work?
Sending out the know-nothing suits to talk to the press keeps the know-nothing suits safely occupied and away from the people trying to fix things.
The current projects include reminding the know-nothing executives that all their cost and corner cutting with the management of IT is about to show a negative return on effort.
Considering many healthcare providers in Mississippi use the EPIC system I hope they all are taking proactive measures.
11:35 I agree with you on accountability but let's make sure it's the right people being held accountable. The IT folks may have warned the higher ups that this could happen but were denied security upgrades. If so, that needs to be known.
The US government and its allies should be doing all they can to crush digital currencies until they are 100% traceable. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Outrage! This really lowers the trust that this organization is so irresponsible. They force you to go online to get your medical results but yet can't keep your medical records safe. The state govt need to pass bulletproof regulations to protect from cyber theft. Totally ridiculous.
Sorry 12:25. You know nothing about the current state of IT. There is no bulletproof regulation. There is no way to perfectly protect your data. This is the world of information where you now live.
The Russian hacker known as 4chan truly is an unstoppable force. There is absolutely nothing that the vigilant leadership at UMMC could’ve done to stop this.
As I type there are lots of CYA texts going back and forth.
Unfortunately, we haven’t yet invented a prescription to give leaders the powers of clairvoyance. UMC will learn from this and overcome this challenge. UMMC will build back better. Most importantly, everyone in leadership will retain their six figure, state funded salaries and pensions!
HIPPA is the Federal law that protects your health information. Cyberattacks are included in the law, just as are physical files with your health information as being protected. No more laws or regulations are needed.
Lou Ann is out over her skis.
OMG. Food machine broke. The end of the world !!!!!! No.
Nuke 'em.
@12:14pm - Right. The current administration is using crypto to personally enrich themselves to the tune of billions of dollars. MAGA amirite
The state govt need to pass bulletproof regulations to protect from cyber theft.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is a delusiuonal laugher. What complicated problems have Mississippi's embedded regulators fixed in the past 10 years? Also, one hopes that your new hypothetically effective wonder regulations don't require the legislature passing another enabling statute.
The hackers are more motivated and competent than the typical Mississippi gubmint employee at a policy making level.
Also, what agency could enforce such a regulation? Andy Gipson is rather busy at the moment.
Someone at UMMC probably clicked the link from Window Suport Staf.
They're earning those fat bonuses this week.
And next week.
I remember that the VA Hospital is connected to UMMC. Hope they didn't expose. My medical records are over there.
Saar, I will be needing for you to enter this quick assist code… Now saar, please donthe needful and allow my request to control your desktop. okay now I will be needing to enable the full disk encryption so please to the needful and be entering your admin password for me when you are receiving the prompt
Guess what folks? It's only going to get worse.
Yep. This is why we need more AI datacenters. The future cyberwar will be won by whoever has the most powerful AI.
Sad thing is that Homeland Security is typically aware that a hack has happened before the victim is aware.
Or, dummy, I like to call businesses or schools by their old names.
The last time I dealt with UMMC - years ago - the billing department (which is hidden somewhere in Clinton) couldn't even add and subtract numbers to get a correct bill total. This went on every single month for over a year on the same bill. They never did get it right and I just called it quits when it was wrong in my favor. Presumably all of their "systems" were working then.
LouAnn didn’t look rattled at all. Wonder if she was a pageant gal back in the day
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