Cyber ​​attack paralyzes AmeOS clinics: patient care in danger!

Cyber ​​attack paralyzes AmeOS clinics: patient care in danger!

Aschersleben, Deutschland - in the Ameos Group, one of the largest health service providers in Germany, it goes haywire. The reason for this is a violent cyber attack that was recognized on Monday evening. Since then, the IT failure has existed and affects over 100 health facilities at more than 50 locations in German-speaking countries, such as "https://www.mdr.de/nachrichten/sachsen-anhalt/it-ausfall-amenos-kliniken-cyberastras-102~amp.html"> MDR . Patients and relatives are alarmed, because in many clinics the screens flash and the normal clinic operations are severely restricted.

Despite these difficulties, the company assures that patient care was secured at all times. Emergency rooms and other therapeutic services remain available, and surgical operations also run normal again, says the AMEOS group, which supplies more than 500,000 people annually ( T-Online ).

IT failure affects the clinic company

The situation in the clinics is anything but easy. Nurses in Aschersleben stand in front of black monitors and have to inform patients themselves about their medication. Communication with rescue control centers is no longer as usual, because digital services, including e-mail traffic, have been disturbed since the cyber attack ( mdr ). A call is required to obtain information about free patient places.

The employees are working around the clock to restore the IT systems. While some medical applications are already available again, it remains unclear when the full functionality of the systems will return. The deputy state data protection officer Albert Cohauss has also confirmed a possible data protection violation, whereby the AMEOS group has not yet answered any requests for possible data loss.

cyber attacks in healthcare

cyber attacks represent a growing threat in healthcare. According to a report of the Ärzteblatts are particularly susceptible due to their increasing dependence on digital infrastructure. The number of attacks on this sector rose by remarkable 74 % compared to the previous year in 2023. Ransomware, a particularly insidious form of malware, encrypted data and demands ransom for recovery.

The incidents like the current attack on the AmeOS clinics illustrate how important it is to be prepared against such threats. The recommended measures include regular software updates, robust password security and awareness of employees for potential risks. The Federal Criminal Police Office already recorded over 136,000 cyber attacks in 2022, whereby only a small part of it is displayed.

The AMEOS group, which plays a central role in the German health system with its more than 18,000 employees and a total of 10,900 beds, is now faced with the challenge of removing system failures and regaining trust in their digital services. Meanwhile, patients and relatives hope for a quick solution to the problems so that the clinics can soon work smoothly again.