Cyberattack forces outage at Kettering Health, scam callers try to get patients' credit card info

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: WCPO TV Cincinnati, OH

Posted 6:20 PM, May 20, 2025
and last updated 11:19 PM, May 20, 2025


KETTERING, Ohio — A "cybersecurity incident" has resulted in a system-wide technology outage and an increase in reported scam calls, Kettering Health announced Tuesday.

The health network said unauthorized access to its network resulted in an outage impacting the call center and access to patient care systems. The outage forced the cancellation and rescheduling of elective inpatient and outpatient procedures, but Kettering said all emergency rooms and clinics remain open.

Kettering said it has confirmed reports of scam calls since the outage that claim to be members of the network's team requesting credit card payments for medical expenses. The health network said that it is customary for employees to contact patients to discuss payment options, but all calls have been canceled until further notice due to the scam. "We encourage anyone who receives a scam call to report it to local law enforcement," Kettering said.

CNN reports ransomware was deployed on Kettering's computer systems. The note, viewed by CNN, threatens to leak data stolen from Kettering online unless the health network negotiates an extortion fee.

Read more: https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/cyberattack-forces-outage-at-kettering-health-scam-callers-try-to-get-patients-credit-card-info

[Bluejeans]

1. Treatment still on hold (Day # 2)

Kettering Health must have been hit really hard by this cyber attack as their outpatient treatment in the medical centers is on hold for the second day. I was called a few minutes ago to come in tomorrow for a "how goes it" check-in with the doctor, but the actual treatments are on hold. Luckily my problem is not time-sensitive, so an interruption in the treatment cycle is not a catastrophic situation.

There's a special place in Hell for cyber-attackers, hopefully standing up to their necks in flaming manure for all of eternity!

[IronLionZion]

2. MAGA is keeping American safe through cutting cybersecurity funding

very efficient.

Hospitals are a hot target for cyber attacks like ransomware because they are very likely to pay the ransom.

[sboatcar]

4. I've seen it lots of times

And honestly, hospitals need to step up their security game. It almost always starts off with a phishing email or some other kind of social engineering. People are the weakest element in cybersecurity. Its hard to keep someone bad out when someone unknowingly opens the door for them.

[IronLionZion]

5. Training and testing, like phishing emails/calls can help

Things can get hectic in hospitals where they are not expecting a criminal element trying to get malicious access. So they need to conduct regular tests to see how people respond to situations in order to change their behavior.

[sboatcar]

6. Absolutely

And offsite immutable backups, because its not a matter of if you get hit, but when.

[Midnight Writer]

3. Don't worry! Ka$h is on the case! Along with his sidekick, Bongo Dan, they will stop the perfidy.

Ka$h is searching diligently through the fleshpots of Las Vegas for the perpetrators, and he has a direct line to the President's golf cart to get more "resources" to investigate why some women have FBI badges.