Many health care workers described the situation at a variety of United Health facilities locations. One in Florida noted that it was “a hot mess in the ER today.” Ambulances with heart patients were being diverted because the facility’s catheterization lab was down, the person posted.
Another worker in California said, “Our ER is closed to ambulances and OR’s are closed and all ambulances and surgeries are being rerouted.”
A registered nurse working at an Arizona facility said, “Our medication system is all online, so that’s been difficult.”
Universal Health Services has operations in the U.S., the U.K., and Puerto Rico. Its facilities include 26 acute care hospitals, 42 outpatient centers, and 328 behavioral health facilities. The company serves millions of patients annually.
Ryuk ransomware used on Universal Health Services
Ransomware is designed to cripple a computer network until a ransom is paid to return access to the system and its data.
It has been reported that a hospital employee said computer screens displayed text that referenced the “shadow universe” which is consistent with a Ryuk ransomware attack by Wizard Spider.
