Microsoft warned last month that ransomware attacks continue to be the primary concern for rural hospitals because of the disruptions to patient care and inability to pay ransoms compared to larger hospital networks. Kidney dialysis company DaVita said a ransomware attack on Saturday has impacted some of its operations and encrypted parts of its network. The company notified the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of the incident on Monday morning, warning that contingency plans have been implemented but they continue to provide care to patients. The company, which reported $12.8 billion in revenue last year, is one of the largest kidney care providers, with about 281,100 patients at 3,166 outpatient dialysis centers worldwide. Cybersecurity experts have tracked more than 100 ransomware attacks on healthcare organizations in 2025, with dozens of hospitals, clinics, labs and more facing operational issues due to security incidents. Ransomware attacks often “represent a tipping point toward closure, impacting not just the hospital, but the communities they serve with potentially life-threatening consequences,” said Microsoft official Kate Behncken. Its primary function is treating end-stage renal disease which necessitates kidney dialysis three times per week until patients receive a new kidney. No ransomware gang had taken credit for the attack on DaVita as of Monday morning. “Upon discovery, we activated our response protocols and implemented containment measures, including proactively isolating impacted systems,” officials explained.
This Cyber News was published on therecord.media. Publication date: Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:35:40 +0000