Operations at Massachusetts hospital hit by cyberattack

Massachusetts-based Anne Jaques Hospital of the Beth Israel-Lahey Health System had its emergency services and electronic health records systems disrupted by a cyberattack that reportedly commenced on Christmas Eve, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. Operations continued despite the attack, with ambulances reportedly accepted by the hospital a day after Christmas, but no further details regarding the intrusion have been provided by Anne Jaques Hospital or Beth Israel-Lahey. "We appreciate the community's patience as we work through this investigation," said a spokesperson. Such an intrusion comes amid the flurry of cyberattacks against healthcare providers during the holiday season, with Missouri-based Liberty Hospital reporting that it had to conduct patient transfers following an attack just days before Christmas, as well as Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center having its data stolen and patients extorted following a ransomware attack earlier last month. Major Australian non-profit health provider St. Vincent's Health also reported having its data compromised in an attack in the days leading to Christmas.