DaVita Inc., a major provider of kidney dialysis services in the United States, has reported a ransomware attack that has disrupted parts of its network. The company, which operates in over 700 hospitals across the country, informed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission about the incident on Monday.
The ransomware attack has affected some of DaVita’s operations, although the company has not specified which services are impacted or how extensive the disruption is. In response to the attack, DaVita is collaborating with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to recover from the incident. However, they have not provided a timeline for when normal operations might resume.
Upon discovering the breach, DaVita activated its emergency response protocols. This included isolating the systems that were affected to limit further damage. Despite these measures, the company has not shared additional details about the attack or the extent of the data potentially compromised.
Ransomware attacks have become increasingly common, particularly in the healthcare sector. These attacks often involve hackers encrypting files on a victim’s computer, making them inaccessible until a ransom is paid. In some cases, hackers threaten to release stolen data if their demands are not met. This trend has raised concerns about patient care, as similar attacks in the past have led to delays in treatment and other serious issues.
Last year, a ransomware incident involving UnitedHealth Group’s Change Healthcare disrupted billing and insurance processes for numerous hospitals and pharmacies, highlighting the vulnerabilities in healthcare systems.
As DaVita works to address this situation, the impact on patient care and operations remains to be seen. The company has not commented further on the matter.