Change Healthcare, a provider of pharmacy technology services, suffered a cyberattack from a suspected nationwide threat actor that created widespread delays for patients needing prescription refills across the United States.
Change Healthcare is part of Optum Solutions, which in turn is part of the healthcare conglomerate UnitedHealth Group. Optum said all indications suggest the cyber incident is limited only to Change Healthcare and has not spread to other UnitedHealth entities. The outage, which began on February 20, will likely last until Friday, February 23. the company predicts.
On Feb. 22, United HealthCare submitted the request 8-K Disclosure of a Material Cyber Incident That said, Change Healthcare’s systems were hacked by a suspected nation-state actor who was able to gain temporary access to the healthcare technology provider’s systems until they were taken offline.
According to the HIPAA Journal, Change Healthcare is responsible for 15 billion healthcare transactions every year and about a third of US patients use its connectivity solutions.
The shift in offline health systems has caused delays at pharmacies across the country, prompting a Michigan retailer to ask customers to wait an extra day to refill medications if possible. according to reports.
But the consequences may not be limited to pharmacies and may have exposed patient data as well, according to Nick Tausek, leak security automation architect at Swimlane.
“Change manages patient payments across the healthcare industry, with access to medical records and sensitive patient information,” Tausek said in a statement. “Pharmacies across the country are already reporting delays in filling prescriptions and providing services as a result of this attack, highlighting the real dangers that cyberattacks can cause in the real world.”
The healthcare sector is vulnerable to cyber attacks
THE healthcare sector is particularly vulnerable to attacks and breaches, due to its reliance on third-party data processors like Change Healthcare, Tausek added. The recent acquisition of Change Healthcare may also have made its systems a target for threat actors.
“Change Healthcare was acquired by UnitedHealth Group in 2022,” Tausek explained. “The period during and after mergers and acquisitions can be a prime window for attacks, with advanced attackers taking advantage of internal disruption caused by efforts to integrate systems, streamline operations and increase efficiency.”
THE healthcare sector in general it needs to work proactively to strengthen its overall cybersecurity posture, said Javvad Malik, chief security awareness advocate at KnowBe4, in a statement.
“This incident serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present threats facing the healthcare industry,” Malik added. “The healthcare sector continues to be a prime target for cybercriminals, so it is critical that healthcare providers not only react effectively to threats, but also work proactively to harden their systems against future attacks.”