McLaren Health Care confirms criminal cyber attack caused disruptions to IT, phone systems
(CBS DETROIT) — McLaren Health Care confirmed on Wednesday that a criminal cyber attack caused disruptions to information technology and phone systems reported on Tuesday.
Officials say it is unknown if any patient or employee data was compromised. The IT team is working with security experts to investigate the cyber attack.
"Currently, our facilities are largely operational and able to care for our communities and will continue to do so until operations are fully restored. Our emergency departments continue to be operational, most surgeries and procedures continue to be performed, and our physician offices continue to see as many patients as possible," officials said in Wednesday's update. "During this time of limited access to our systems, and out of an abundance of caution, some non-emergent appointments, tests, and treatments are being rescheduled."
On Tuesday, the system reported disruptions to the systems, saying that some non-emergent or elective procedures may be rescheduled "out of an abundance of caution."
Patients of the system's thirteen hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, physician offices and other service centers – including the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute – were advised to keep their appointments as they worked through the issue unless contacted by an employee.
McLaren says it implemented downtown procedures immediately after becoming aware of the attack. Officials say they are continuing to work under downtime procedures while working to restore the systems.
This is the second major tech disruption McLaren has faced in the last year. In 2023, McLaren Health Care said an investigation into suspicious activity discovered on its network revealed a ransomware attack.
