Ascension Health Experiences Cybersecurity Incident, Recommends Network Disconnections for Partners

On Wednesday, Ascension, a prominent healthcare nonprofit, disclosed experiencing disruptions to its clinical operations due to a suspected cybersecurity incident. In response, Ascension recommended that its business partners temporarily sever ties with their network. The company stated that it is currently investigating unusual activity on some of its select technology network systems after detecting such occurrences. Some systems have experienced access interruptions as the organization evaluates the extent and duration of the disruptions. Ascension has implemented measures to guarantee that patient care delivery remains secure and minimally impacted during this time. Ascension further revealed that they have enlisted the services of the third-party investigative firm Mandiant to aid in the investigation and remediation process and have informed the relevant authorities. Ascension, founded in 1999 as a Catholic nonprofit, serves 19 states and the District of Columbia through approximately 134,000 employees, 35,000 associated physicians, and 140 hospitals. Prior to this incident, UnitedHealth, the largest U.S. health insurance provider, disclosed that its technology division had experienced a significant cyberattack earlier this year, resulting in widespread payment disruptions for healthcare providers. (Reporting by Pratik Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai)