![\"hospital\"](\"https:\/\/hcsblogdotorg.files.wordpress.com\/2016\/02\/hospital.png?w=620\")
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This is the new era of crime folks, Hackers (and Tech Companies) holding data hostage. Ultimately, like always, it is the average person, in this case, the sick people in these hospitals, who suffers. Crime is Crime, I don’t care how it is facilitated.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \n The Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles has\u00a0announced<\/a> that it paid hackers 40 bitcoins ($17,000 USD). The criminals had used malicious software to encrypt the hospital\u2019s records, and held the key to decrypt the files for ransom.<\/p>\n The hospital was infected with the software, commonly called \u201cransomware,\u201d on Feb. 5. Presumably, someone on the hospital network opened an email attachment or clicked a link they shouldn\u2019t have. From there, a message typically appears on the infected computers, demanding payment to restore access. There\u2019s usually a deadline.<\/p>\n Once infected, the hospital reportedly had to send some patients to\u00a0other hospitals<\/a>, and go back to paper<\/a> to process visits.<\/p>\n A ransomware attack at this scale, which could potentially put lives at risk, has so far been uncommon. The targets have largely been\u00a0individuals<\/a> and small organizations<\/a>, and the payments demanded are usually under $1,000. And the Federal Bureau of Investigation, at least\u00a0according to one agent<\/a>, often advises victims to just pay the ransom if they want their files back.<\/p>\n Indeed, this was the case for Hollywood Presbyterian. The hospital\u2019s CEO said in a statement Wednesday night (Feb. 18) that paying the criminals was \u201cthe quickest and most efficient way to restore our systems and administrative functions.\u201d<\/p>\n And now, everything is back to normal. \u201cHPMC has restored its electronic medical record system (\u201cEMR\u201d) on Monday, February 15th,\u201d the CEO said in the statement. \u201cAll systems currently in use were cleared of the malware and thoroughly tested.\u201d<\/p>\n \n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n