Maryland healthcare network forced to shut down IT systems after ransomware attack

A ransomware attack on a large healthcare network in Maryland has forced officials to shut off IT systems and cancel some appointments. 

Frederick Health Medical Group warned on Monday that there will be delays in service as it contends with the cyberattack. 

“Frederick Health recently identified a ransomware event. We took immediate steps to help contain the incident, and we proactively took our systems offline,” the organization said Tuesday. The message had not been updated as of Wednesday morning.

One facility — Frederick Health Village Laboratory — was closed, but other locations remained open, officials said. The medical group runs Frederick Health Hospital and provides a wide range of medical services in about two dozen facilities northwest of Baltimore and Washington, D.C.  

“We are working closely with our third-party cybersecurity experts to bring our systems back online as quickly and safely as possible and in a way that prioritizes patient care,” the organization said. “Our facilities remain open, and we continue to provide care for our patients using established back-up processes and other downtime procedures.”

Officials said offices will work with patients to reschedule any appointments affected by the incident.

Maryland’s government recently spotlighted the importance of cybersecurity after Gov. Wes Moore named former U.S. National Cyber Director Harry Coker as commerce secretary of the state. 

Ransomware gangs continue to target the healthcare industry after several damaging attacks throughout 2024. 

This week, an attack on the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) was claimed by a ransomware group. The organization confirmed in breach notification letters that it was attacked between December 18, 2024 and December 22, 2024.