Cyber attack now being called 'ransomware attack' at local hospitals

TransForm Shared Service Organization says Bluewater Health, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, Erie Shores HealthCare, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and Windsor Regional Hospital are victims ransomware attack.

In a media release, the shared service organization says it continues to work around the clock to restore systems and hopes to have updates related to the restoration of its systems in the upcoming week.

The organization says it is working closely with local police departments, Ontario Provincial Police, INTERPOL and FBI as well as regulatory organizations such as the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner.

TransForm says it is also working with cybersecurity experts and determined certain patient, employee and professional staff data has been taken and some of the stolen data may have been published by the attackers.

The organization says it will notify individuals whose data was affected by the cyber attack and understands the impact the attack is having on members of the community, including patients, employees and professional staff.

The company adds the hospitals are doing their best to contact patients in advance for a scheduled appointment that needs to be rescheduled.

The ransomware attack started last Monday and was originally called a "service interruption."  

It was later described as a "cyber attack."

The release goes on to say, TransForm will not be providing further comment to the statement since it's a criminal investigation and law enforcement continues to investigate.