FBI thwarts cyberthreat against Boston Children’s Hospital by hackers sponsored by Iranian government
Hackers sponsored by the Iranian government tried to get into the computer systems of Boston Childrenās Hospital last year, however they were stopped with the help of the Boston Division of the FBI, officials announced Wednesday. FBI Director Christopher A. Wray spoke about the incident during an address at sixth annual Boston Conference on Cyber Security at Boston College.In the summer of 2021, the FBI said officials received a report from another intelligence agency that the foreign hackers were targeting Boston Childrenās Hospital.FBI agents contacted the hospital on Aug. 3, 2021 and provided officials with a cybersecurity advisory.During the next 10 days, the Boston Division of the FBI coordinated and met with hospital representatives to address concerns about the threat.Officials said quick action by those involved in preempting the hack that ācould have disrupted healthcare services for patients.āWray used the example as a reminder to organizations to have an incident response plan that includes the FBI.A series of attacks on Boston Childrenās Hospital in 2014 disrupted the hospitals network for about a week. The attacks were launched in an attempt to affect the hospitalās handing of the case of Justina Pelletier -- a teenage patient who was the subject of a high-profile custody battle.The FBIās investigation led to a conviction and sentencing of the hacker in 2019.
Hackers sponsored by the Iranian government tried to get into the computer systems of Boston Childrenās Hospital last year, however they were stopped with the help of the Boston Division of the FBI, officials announced Wednesday.
FBI Director Christopher A. Wray spoke about the incident during an address at sixth annual Boston Conference on Cyber Security at Boston College.
In the summer of 2021, the FBI said officials received a report from another intelligence agency that the foreign hackers were targeting Boston Childrenās Hospital.
FBI agents contacted the hospital on Aug. 3, 2021 and provided officials with a cybersecurity advisory.
During the next 10 days, the Boston Division of the FBI coordinated and met with hospital representatives to address concerns about the threat.
Officials said quick action by those involved in preempting the hack that ācould have disrupted healthcare services for patients.ā
Wray used the example as a reminder to organizations to have an incident response plan that includes the FBI.
A series of attacks on Boston Childrenās Hospital in 2014 disrupted the hospitals network for about a week.
The attacks were launched in an attempt to affect the hospitalās handing of the case of Justina Pelletier -- a teenage patient who was the subject of a high-profile custody battle.
The FBIās investigation led to a conviction and sentencing of the hacker in 2019.
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