ABC News(BURLINGTON, Vt.) Jes Kraus was supposed to be going to the University of Vermont Medical Center every day for aggressive radiation and chemotherapy treatments to fight stage three colorectal cancer, for which he was diagnosed in September 2020.
But at the end of October 2022, the hospital called to tell him not to come in for his appointments until further notice. The medical center had just been hit by a cyberattack, which infected computer systems across the state and locked out health care workers from his treatment plan and other critical tools.
"Radiation was canceled for a week," Kara Kraus, Jes s wife, told ABC News. "We were afraid. We weren t sure if that would affect the outcome. Again, the tumor, would it start growing back within that week? What was going to happen?"
The Kraus family s experience is an increasingly common one, research shows. Hospitals have become a top target for ransomware gangs, which take control of vulnerable online ne
Hospitals have become a target for ransomware, which take control of vulnerable online networks and demand a ransom to unlock them, severely disrupting patient care.
ABC News(BURLINGTON, Vt.) Jes Kraus was supposed to be going to the University of Vermont Medical Center every day for aggressive radiation and chemotherapy treatments to fight stage three colorectal cancer, for which he was diagnosed in September 2020.
But at the end of October 2022, the hospital called to tell him not to come in for his appointments until further notice. The medical center had just been hit by a cyberattack, which infected computer systems across the state and locked out health care workers from his treatment plan and other critical tools.
"Radiation was canceled for a week," Kara Kraus, Jes s wife, told ABC News. "We were afraid. We weren t sure if that would affect the outcome. Again, the tumor, would it start growing back within that week? What was going to happen?"
The Kraus family s experience is an increasingly common one, research shows. Hospitals have become a top target for ransomware gangs, which take control of vulnerable online ne
(BURLINGTON, Vt.) Jes Kraus was supposed to be going to the University of Vermont Medical Center every day for aggressive radiation and chemotherapy treatments to fight stage three colorectal cancer, for which he was diagnosed in September 2020. But at the end of October 2022, the hospital called to tell him not to come
Cyberattacks are becoming a more common occurrence at U.S. hospitals, with the number doubling between 2016 and 2021. This increase is causing significant disruptions to patient care, experts told ABC News.