change health care It is reportedly facing a new ransomware attack following a major breach in February.
According to a recent report from Wired, a ransomware group called RansomHub has been posting the following on dark web sites since last week: 4 terabytes of data stolen From Change Healthcare, which processes claims for healthcare giant UnitedHealth Group.
The report states that RansomHub is threatening to sell its data if Change does not pay the ransom, and that the group claims it is not affiliated with AlphaV, which claimed responsibility for previous breaches, and that He pointed out that “I can't say how much” the amount would be. demand as ransom.
Wired reports that RansomHub initially did not provide any support for its claims, but last week sent the magazine several screenshots of what appeared to be patient records and a data-sharing agreement with UnitedHealth. That's what it means.
Although these samples have not been fully confirmed, Wired writes that this second attempt to ransom Change Healthcare's data may be more than just a threat.
“For those who are questioning that we have data, or are speculating about its importance or sensitivity, the image shows the scale and importance of the situation, making it seem unrealistic and childish. That should be enough to uncover a theory,” a ransomhub representative said. Connected via email.
PYMNTS has reached out to UnitedHealth for comment but has not yet received a response.
The first breach was discovered in February; big mess across the healthcare sector.
This is part of a recent wave of attacks Involves ransomware, is a type of malicious software that infiltrates computer networks, encrypts files, and demands payment in exchange for the decryption key. Ransomware payments will exceed $1 billion in 2023, according to a study by blockchain data firm Chainalysis.
With this type of violation in mind, a bipartisan “Ransomware and Financial Stability Act” The policy was reintroduced last week by House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry (R.N.C.) and Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D).
The law includes deterrents for hackers and guide rails for financial institutions to respond to ransomware attacks. It focuses on critical financial infrastructure, including financial market utilities, major stock exchanges, and technology services providers that support banks' core processing services.
“To provide agencies with a roadmap when faced with a ransomware attack, this bill requires companies subject to the rule to notify the Treasury Department before making ransomware payments. , prohibits ransomware payments exceeding $100,000 without authorization from law enforcement or the President,” PYMNTS wrote last week.
