The University of Mississippi Medical Center has resumed normal operations nine days after a ransomware attack disrupted its IT systems, patient records, and phone lines, forcing the cancellation of appointments and procedures. The attack disproportionately impacted patient care, though hospitals and emergency departments remained open. UMMC officials confirmed they have been in contact with the attackers and are investigating the incident with the FBI and CISA. The main topics covered are the ransomware attack's impact, the restoration of services, and the ongoing investigation.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) says it has resumed normal operations, nine days after a ransomware attack blocked access to electronic medical records and took down many of its IT systems.
"The University of Mississippi Medical Center's clinics resumed normal operations today following a nine-day ordeal caused by a cyberattack," the UMMC said in a Monday statement right after confirming that its phone lines were also back online and patients were being called to reschedule missed appointments.
"While all mission areas were impacted by the criminal intrusion, the patient care mission was disproportionately affected. As the Division of Information Systems worked around the clock to bring the network back online, medical teams worked to ensure continuity of high-quality care."
UMMC first revealed on Thursday afternoon that the ransomware attack forced it to cancel outpatient procedures, ambulatory surgeries, and imaging appointments, even though staff continued to provide hospital services following downtime procedures.
The next day, the medical center confirmed that it had restored access to patient records and announced plans to reopen clinics on Monday.
"We can access patient records, so UMMC clinics statewide will resume normal operations and scheduled appointments on Monday," the UMMC noted. "Clinics will be open extended hours and extra days to accommodate patients as soon as possible. All our hospitals and emergency departments remain open."
While no ransomware group claimed responsibility for the incident, as they're likely still negotiating with the UMMC and want to pressure it into paying a ransom, hospital officials revealed during a press conference on Thursday afternoon that they were in contact with the attackers.
"The attackers have communicated to us and we are working with the authorities and specialists on next steps. We do not know how long this situation may last," said LouAnn Woodward, the dean of the school of medicine at UMMC.
The UMMC is now investigating this incident with assistance from the FBI and the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
As one of the largest employers in Mississippi, UMMC has over 10,000 employees and operates seven hospitals, 35 clinics, and over 200 telehealth sites statewide.
The medical center includes the state's only organ and bone marrow transplant program, the only children's hospital, the only Level I trauma center, and the only Telehealth Center of Excellence, one of two in the United States.
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