A ransomware incident has caused a significant “system-wide technology outage” at a network of over a dozen medical centers in Ohio, resulting in the cancellation of both inpatient and outpatient elective procedures. This information comes from a statement released by the health system and a ransom note obtained by CNN.
Kettering Health, which serves a substantial portion of Ohio and employs more than 1,800 physicians, confirmed in a statement that the cyberattack began Tuesday morning and has created “a number of challenges” across its 14 facilities. The disruption has also affected the network’s call center. Despite this, emergency rooms and outpatient clinics remain operational and continue to treat patients.
“Inpatient and outpatient procedures have been canceled for today,” the network said in its statement. “Scheduled procedures at Kettering Health medical centers will be rescheduled.” It added that contingency protocols are in place “for these types of situations” to maintain safe and high-quality patient care.
Internally, Kettering Health's IT teams and executives are working to limit the damage from the ransomware attack. According to the ransom note reviewed by CNN, hackers deployed ransomware on the network’s computer systems.
“Your network was compromised, and we have secured your most vital files,” the note reads. It warns that the attackers may release allegedly stolen data online unless negotiations for a ransom payment begin.
The note includes a link to an extortion platform tied to the ransomware group known as Interlock, which surfaced in late 2023. Since then, the group has reportedly targeted various sectors including technology, manufacturing, and government organizations, as per Cisco’s cyber-intelligence division, Talos.
A spokesperson for Kettering Health did not offer additional details beyond the network’s official statement.
Typically, major cyber incidents affecting U.S. healthcare providers involve responses from the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). CNN has reached out to all three agencies for comment.
Cybercriminals have long targeted the U.S. healthcare sector, viewing hospitals as particularly vulnerable and likely to pay ransoms to prevent disruptions in patient care. Last year, healthcare organizations reported more than 440 ransomware incidents and data breaches to the FBI—more than any other critical infrastructure sector.
In the past 18 months, a string of high-profile cyberattacks on major health providers has directly affected patient care nationwide, prompting growing concern among lawmakers and federal authorities about the resilience of U.S. healthcare cybersecurity systems.
One such attack last year on Ascension, a nonprofit health system based in St. Louis with operations across 19 states, left nurses at some hospitals working without access to electronic health records, compromising patient safety, according to what two nurses told CNN. Similarly, a February 2024 ransomware attack on a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary disrupted pharmacy services across the country and exposed sensitive data belonging to a large number of Americans.