The BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware gang has struck again, this time targeting Optum, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, in a cyberattack that has caused a widespread outage on the Change Healthcare platform. This platform is crucial for over 70,000 pharmacies in the United States, making the impact of this attack significant.
According to the ransomware gang, they have managed to steal a staggering 6TB of data from Change Healthcare’s network. This data includes sensitive information from various healthcare providers, insurance companies, and pharmacies, including partners such as the U.S. military’s Tricare program, Medicare, CVS Caremark, MetLife, and Health Net. The stolen information ranges from medical records and insurance records to payment information, claims data, patients’ personally identifiable information (PII), and even active military/navy personnel PII data.
As a result of the cyberattack, affected pharmacies have had to adopt new electronic claim procedures to navigate the ongoing issues with Change Healthcare. The FBI, CISA, and HHS have issued warnings, highlighting that the BlackCat ransomware affiliates are known for targeting organizations within the U.S. healthcare sector.
BlackCat has a track record of over 60 breaches and has reportedly raked in at least $300 million in ransoms. In response to the severity of the situation, the U.S. State Department is offering a reward of up to $15 million for any tips that lead to the identification or location of BlackCat gang leaders or individuals involved in ransomware attacks.
This latest attack serves as a stark reminder of the growing threat posed by cybercriminals, particularly within the healthcare industry in the United States. The consequences of such attacks can be far-reaching, affecting not only the organizations directly targeted but also the individuals whose sensitive information has been compromised.
Analyst. Amateur problem solver. Wannabe internet expert. Coffee geek. Tv guru. Award-winning communicator. Food nerd.