UnitedHealth Group, a major health insurance company, has confirmed a ransomware attack on its subsidiary Change Healthcare, resulting in ongoing disruptions to hospitals and pharmacies nationwide.
Tyler Mason, a vice president at UnitedHealth, stated, “Change Healthcare can confirm we are experiencing a cybersecurity issue perpetrated by a cybercrime threat actor who has represented itself to us as ALPHV/Blackcat.”
The company is collaborating with law enforcement and cybersecurity firms Mandiant and Palo Alto Networks to address the attack. Despite ongoing investigations, there is no evidence of the breach affecting other UnitedHealth systems besides those of Change Healthcare.
ALPHV/BlackCat, a Russia-based ransomware group, claimed responsibility for the attack on its dark web leak site, alleging the theft of millions of Americans’ sensitive health and patient information. While the claims remain unverified, the group removed the post, indicating potential negotiations with the victim.
Change Healthcare, which processes prescriptions for over 67,000 pharmacies in the U.S., took several systems offline to counter the attack. Consequently, hospitals and pharmacies nationwide are experiencing difficulties processing prescriptions and verifying patient insurance.
The cyberattack, which began on February 21, has disrupted healthcare services, with military pharmacies and retail outlets affected globally. Tricare, a U.S. military health insurance provider, confirmed the impact on military pharmacies worldwide.
The incident underscores the growing threat of ransomware attacks and the need for government intervention. While the exact cause of the breach remains unclear, UnitedHealth is actively working to restore services and mitigate the impact on patients and customers.
As investigations continue, concerns persist regarding the vulnerability of critical healthcare infrastructure to cyber threats. Addressing these challenges requires collaborative efforts between government agencies, private sector entities, and cybersecurity experts to safeguard healthcare systems and patient data.
