Finger Lakes Health, a three-hospital healthcare delivery system in Geneva, New York, continues to use manual and paper processes following a ransomware attack over the weekend, according to local media reports.
The Orleans Times Herald, in an article posted today, quoted Lara Turbide, the agency’s vice president of community services who said Wednesday afternoon, “We are still in the paper ‘downtime’ procedure. We hope by tomorrow to have more information and see what our next step is.”
Finger Lakes Health officials say the organization is working with law enforcement and security professionals to get the system back up as soon as possible.
According to the Orleans Times Herald, the ransomware attack likely occurred late Saturday night. “Sometime after midnight Sunday, Finger Lakes Health was notified electronically that specific systems had been encrypted by an unknown entity, with that entity demanding payment to gain access to the systems,” reporter Mike Hibbard wrote in the Orleans times Herald article.
That article also stated: “Turbide previously said since computers and other electronic systems were shut down within an hour, there is no indication patient or employee information has been compromised. Finger Lakes Health is working with IT security professionals, both internal and external, to return to non-manual operations as quickly as possible. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into the “ransomware” attack.”
According to that same article, “Turbide declined to say how much ransom is being demanded by the hacker or hackers, in what form (money or bitcoin) the entity is seeking or whether Finger Lakes Health officials are considering paying it.”
According to an article in the Monroe County Post, Finger Lakes Health comprises a vast network of health facilities across the region. “Those include two hospitals, Geneva General Hospital in Geneva and Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital in Penn Yan. In addition, the network includes four nursing homes, eight primary care physician practices, an ambulatory surgery center, two Urgent Care sites and six specialty-care practices, among others.”
Health system officials have told local media that there is no indication that any patient, resident or employee information was compromised in the attack.
