Versailles hospital cancels operations after ransomware attack compromises computer systems

The André Mignot hospital in Versailles fell victim to a crippling cyberattack that disrupted many of its computer systems and patient care over the weekend.

According to local news reports, the attack occurred on Friday evening, leaving multiple computer screens black. By Saturday, the medical facility was forced to transfer some patients from its intensive care unit to nearby hospitals.

Health Minister François Braun said extra staff was also called in to the intensive care unit to monitor screens that were no longer working as part of the hospital network.

Given the paralyzed state of its computer systems and network, hospital management also decided to postpone operations. Activity at the Mignot hospital remains impeded, with staff turning to pen and paper. Braun said the hospital has been put “in data protection mode” with all of its computer systems in shutdown to limit the damages.

The hospital filed a formal complaint Sunday and the prosecutor’s office in Paris is now leading an investigation into the extortion attempt.

Richard Delepierre, co-chairman of the medical facility, has confirmed that the hospital will not pay the ransom demands.

"A ransom, the amount of which I do not know, has been requested but we do not intend to pay it," Delepierre told local press on Monday.

This isn’t the first ransomware attack to cripple a French hospital this year. In August, Centre Hospitalier Sud Francilien, also fell victim to cybercriminals who demanded $10 million to restore encrypted files. As they refused to give in to the attackers’ demands, exfiltrated data was later published on the hackers’ site.

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