⁍ Eastern European criminals are targeting dozens of U.S. hospitals with ransomware.

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⁍ The FBI is investigating the recent attacks, which include incidents in Oregon, California and New York.

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⁍ Experts said the likely group behind the attacks was known as Wizard Spider or UNC 1878.

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– Eastern European criminals are targeting dozens of US hospitals with ransomware attacks, and federal officials on Wednesday urged healthcare facilities to beef up preparations rapidly in case they are next, reports Reuters. The FBI is investigating the recent attacks, which include incidents in Oregon, California, and New York made public just this week, according to three cybersecurity consultants familiar with the matter. A doctor at a hospital in Oregon tells Reuters that the facility was functioning on paper after an attack and unable to transfer patients because the nearest alternative was an hour away. “We can still watch vitals and getting imaging done, but all results are being communicated via paper only,” he says. Staff could see historic records but not update those files. Experts said the likely group behind the attacks was known as Wizard Spider or UNC 1878. The attacks prompted a teleconference call on Wednesday led by FBI and Homeland Security officials for hospital administrators and cybersecurity experts. A participant told Reuters that government officials warned hospitals to make sure their backup systems were in order, disconnect systems from the internet where possible, and avoid using personal email accounts. “This appears to have been a coordinated attack designed to disrupt hospitals specifically all around the country,” says a threat intelligence analyst with US cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. “While multiple ransomware attacks against healthcare providers each week have been commonplace, this is the first time we have seen six hospitals targeted in the same day by the same ransomware actor.”