The Villages hospital crippled by ransomware attack

UF Health-The Villages Hospital has been forced to operate by pen and paper thanks to a ransomware attack which has shut down the computer system.

The hospital has not officially acknowledged the attack, but an official with knowledge of the situation confirmed what has taken place, both at the hospital in The Villages and Leesburg Regional Medical Center.

Both hospitals operate under the UF Health system. Other hospitals in that system are reportedly not impacted and functioning normally.

If you know anything about the situation at the hospital, contact Villages-News.com at news@villages-news.com

Ransomware attacks are becoming more common in the United States, including one that shut down the Colonial Pipeline, prompting fuel shortages, including here in The Villages. A leading meatpacking company was targeted this week and a ransomware attack also disrupted the ferry system in Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.

Ransomware is a form of malware designed to encrypt files on a device, rendering any files and the systems that rely on them unusable. Malicious actors then demand ransom in exchange for decryption.