In February, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center agreed to pay cyber criminals roughly $17,000 in order to restore access to its computer systems after being locked out by a ransomware attack.
According to reports, the malware prevented hospital staff from communicating electronically, forcing doctors and nurses to relay important information via telephone or fax.
After paying the cyber criminals’ ransom demand of 40 bitcoins—a virtual currency worth the equivalent of about $17,000 dollars—hospital staff were allowed access back into their system. Officials stressed that, after the attack, all systems were scanned and no malware was found, that patient care wasn’t compromised, and that no evidence has been discovered suggesting unauthorized access to employee or patient records.