AvosLocker attacks US healthcare system

Dallas-based Catholic heath system CHRISTUS Health, which has over 600 facilities across four U.S. states, Mexico, Colombia, and Chile, has been attacked by the AvosLocker ransomware gang, making it the second health system that the group has targeted in two months, CyberScoop reports. CHRISTUS Health had one of its regions, or "ministries," accessed by an unauthorized actor earlier this month but while the attack's impact is still being evaluated, it has been found to have a "limited" effect so far and has not adversely hit patient care, said CHRISTUS Health Director of Communications Katy Kiser. The attack on CHRISTUS Health comes after Michigan-based McKenzie Health System had been compromised in March by AvosLocker, which had posted stolen data on its leak site on April 6. McKenzie Health had only begun informing impacted patients last week. "Ransomware attacks on health care systems put lives at risk, it's as simple as that. And the true impact of attacks on peoples health may not be immediately apparent as delayed care could potentially impact patient outcomes weeks, months or even years after the event," said Emsisoft Threat Analyst Brett Callow.