Campbell County Health operations disrupted by ransomware attack

• Campbell County Health in Gillette, Wyoming fell victim to a ransomware attack that disrupted the hospital operations.
• The concerned cybersecurity authorities are working to restore the system, but there is no estimate on when the services will be restored.

The big picture

A targeted ransomware attack hit the Campbell County Health in Gillette, around 3 am on Friday.

• All of the computers are said to have been affected.
• This attack has impacted many of the hospital’s services including inpatient admissions, radiology exams or procedures, and surgery cancellations.

Steve Crichton, vice president of plant and facilities for CCH said, “Most of the systems we depend on for our patient care are not able to be seen by anyone. We have all computers in the hospital shut off at this point.”

The situation now

Hospitals in Casper, Rapid City, and Sheridan were informed of this situation. Although Casper and Rapid City are full, they are willing to take patients in on a case-by-case basis.

• The county’s website reports that Current Campbell County Memorial Hospital, Behavioral Health, Home Health and Hospice, and The Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center patients are being safely cared for. Patients who require a higher level of care are being transferred.
• Phone systems are operational.
• The Emergency Department is open and equipped with staff to deal with the needs of patients.

What we know

“At this point in time, there is no evidence that any patient data has been accessed or misused. The investigation is ongoing, and we will provide updates when more information becomes available. We are working diligently to restore complete access to our services,” reads the county’s website.

The Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the governer’s office are said to be in talks with the Campbell County Health regarding this cybercrime.

It is still not clear as to what the hackers were seeking when attacking Campbell County Health.