Lessons from the Change Healthcare ransomware attack (20 September 2024)

Summary

In February 2024, Change Healthcare, a data processing firm, was the target of a cyberattack by the ransomware group ALPHV Black Cat. An active ransomware operation, ALPHV Black Cat is thought to also be behind a 2021 attack on Colonial Pipeline that disrupted the nationwide fuel supply chain. In the wake of the attack on Change Healthcare, hundreds of thousands of healthcare organisation were unable to submit claims or receive payments. With the weeks-long paralysis and ponderous shift to alternative protocols, many facilities found themselves unable to deliver care and facing financial collapse.

This article in JAMA Health Forum looks at what healthcare organisations can learn from the incident to protect against future ransomware attacks and mitigate their impact.