Hackensack Meridian Health pays undisclosed ransom payment

Hackensack Meridian Health was forced to pay cyberattackers a ransom in order to regain access to its network.

The payoff became public on December 13 and was in response to a ransomware attack that struck the New Jersey-based hospital on December 2. Published reports noted the healthcare provider did not release the amount paid.

The attack impacted all 17 hospitals and clinics operated by Meridian forcing staffers to go back to using pen and paper. It also forced the rescheduling of some medical procedures.

Meridian has not said if it has since regained access to its records.

Institutions and municipalities struck with and unable to recover from a ransomware attack have been making the hard decision to pay up in order to get back to business. Lake City, Fla., LaPorte County, Ind., and the Rockville Center, N.Y. school district are among in the last year who opted to give in to the ransom demand.