Fraud Management & Cybercrime , Ransomware

Ransomware Attack Disrupts Japanese Hospital for 2nd Day

Emergency Services Only at Osaka Acute and General Medical Center
Ransomware Attack Disrupts Japanese Hospital for 2nd Day
Osaka Acute and General Medical Center. (Image: OAGMC)

A ransomware attack halted outpatient care and non-emergency surgeries at a major Japanese hospital for a second day.

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Government-affiliated Osaka Acute and General Medical Center disclosed on Monday that a ransomware attack on its electronic medical records system made normal caregiving impossible. The hospital is a major medical hub in the Osaka prefecture with 865 beds.

Hospital officials told reporters Monday the attack occurred around 7 a.m. and that they've received a ransom demand for an undisclosed amount of Bitcoin, reported state-owned NKH World. Personnel switched to paper medical records that day.

Non-emergency services remain inoperable with no foreseeable prospect for recovery, states a Wednesday hospital bulletin. The hospital is a designated advanced emergency medical service center and one of the largest cancer hospitals in the region.

Ransomware attacks in Japan have seen an 87% increase in the first half of 2022 alone, a report from the National Police Agency of Japan says. A total of 114 "damaging" ransomware attacks were recorded during this time.

Ransomware criminals have attacked the medical sector across the globe – recent victims include a large hospital chain in the United States and an urgent care telephone service of the U.K.'s National Health Service.

A recent Ponemon Institute survey of healthcare IT and security professionals found that of about 245 who said their organizations had suffered a ransomware incident, 67% believed the cyber incidents affected patient care, including delayed tests or procedures, longer stays, and a rise in mortality rates.

A September 2021 analysis by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency says cyberattacks can contribute to increased patient mortality by degrading hospital capacity (see: CommonSpirit's Ransomware Incident Taking Toll on Patients).


About the Author

Mihir Bagwe

Mihir Bagwe

Principal Correspondent, Global News Desk, ISMG

Bagwe previously worked at CISO magazine, reporting the latest cybersecurity news and trends and interviewing cybersecurity subject matter experts.




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