Change Healthcare, a prominent US health tech company, is currently experiencing a cyber attack resulting in widespread service disruptions affecting US pharmacies.
The company faced a breach in various critical systems, including those related to healthcare enterprise, pharmacy services, medical records, and payment services.
The cyber attack prompted Change Healthcare to take action upon discovering the breach on 22 February.
Change Healthcare, which merged with Optum, in a $7.8bn deal in 2022, reported the incident in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
Almost six days into the attack, the company has yet to release an official statement, though it has been consistently updating its status page multiple times a day, each reading: “Change Healthcare is experiencing a cyber security issue, and our experts are working to address the matter.”
Despite the ongoing efforts to restore the impacted environment, the disruption is expected to persist, with the company cautioning against shortcuts that may pose additional risks.
Hackers target healthcare organisations to steal intellectual property, protected health information, and personal information.
Reports from pharmacies indicate delays in filling prescriptions and providing essential services.
CVS reported challenges, with CVS patients compelled to pay in cash.
As Change Healthcare works to restore its systems, the duration and extent of the disruption remain uncertain, emphasising the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures in the healthcare sector.