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A cyberattack has caused significant operational disruptions at Ascension, a major US healthcare provider. An Ascension spokesperson confirmed the attack in a statement to CNN on Wednesday.
"There has been a disruption to clinical operations, and we continue to assess the impact and duration of the disruption," the statement read.
Ascension, which operates 140 hospitals and 40 senior living facilities across 19 states, has taken steps to minimize patient care disruptions.
The company also advised its healthcare clients to temporarily suspend network connections to Ascension while the incident is being investigated.
The nonprofit detected "unusual activity" on some of its systems on Wednesday. This discovery prompted an investigation, and Ascension has notified "appropriate authorities," according to the spokesperson's emailed statement.
"Ascension has initiated procedures to ensure patient care delivery continues to be safe and as minimally impacted as possible," the spokesperson added.
Ascension pledged to notify any individuals whose sensitive data may have been compromised in the attack.
The Ascension spokesperson declined to comment on whether the cyberattack involved ransomware, a type of malicious software that encrypts computers and allows hackers to demand payment in exchange for unlocking the systems.
The healthcare industry has become a prime target for ransomware attacks in recent years. These attacks have disrupted patient care and caused substantial financial losses for healthcare providers.
A February ransomware attack on a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary, for example, disrupted billing at pharmacies nationwide and threatened the financial viability of some smaller health providers.
