Cybersecurity attack at Lurie Children’s Hospital continues

The cybersecurity attack at Lurie Children’s Hospital that caused a network outage continues to cause frustration among hospital staff and patients.

Families coping with Lurie Children's Hospital's network outage were becoming increasingly frustrated. Almost a week has passed since a cyberattack rendered all phones, laptops, and the internet inoperable, preventing some people from accessing care and vital information.

Some people have been able to attend their appointments as planned over the past five days, while many others have been waiting to hear from the hospital about when their children can return to receive the necessary care.

Elective surgeries and procedures have been canceled as a result of the outage, which has severely damaged all access to computers, the internet, and phones. Less than two months had passed since a cyberattack of a similar nature targeted Saint Anthony Hospital on the West Side of Chicago. Online, "The LockBit Gang" allegedly claimed credit for the ransom attack.

According to Network Perception co-founder Robin Berthier, this attack is unique since it doesn't target a conventional IT system. On social media, some patients have voiced their worries and annoyances. Following an eye injury in October, a mother stated that her son has become a regular at Lurie's.

The cyberattack prevented any communication while attempting to set up a fresh appointment. There was no planned appointment. Restoring the vital systems' functionality is the immediate objective.