iTnews
  • Home
  • News
  • Technology
  • Security

UnitingCare Queensland hit by cyber attack

By Ry Crozier on Apr 26, 2021 8:58PM
UnitingCare Queensland hit by cyber attack

Ransomware infection reportedly impacts hospitals and aged care facilities.

UnitingCare Queensland, a provider of hospital and aged care services, said some of its digital and technology systems were rendered “inaccessible” by a cyber attack on Sunday.

9News in Queensland reported the attack as a ransomware infection that all hospitals and aged care homes run by the organisation with IT systems.

Hospitals run by UnitingCare Queensland include The Wesley Hospital and St Andrews War Memorial Hospital, both in Brisbane, St Stephen's Hospital in Hervey Bay, and Buderim Private Hospital on the Sunshine Coast.

The facilities had resorted to manual, paper-based workarounds, according to the 9News report.

UnitingCare Queensland confirmed it was affected “by a cyber incident” that had taken “some” of its systems offline.

“As soon as we became aware of the incident, we engaged the support of lead external technical and forensic advisors,” the organisation said in a statement.

“We also notified the Australian Cyber Security Centre of the incident and are continuing to work with them to investigate the incident.”

UnitingCare Queensland said that “most services” could be run using “manual back-up processes”, but those that could not “are being redirected or rescheduled accordingly.”

“Due to the recency of the incident, it is not possible to provide a resolution timeframe at this stage, however our digital and technology team are working to resolve this issue as swiftly as possible,” the organisation said.

“We are committed to keeping our people, patients, clients and residents informed and safe as we work to resolve this incident and will provide further relevant updates as new information comes to hand.”

The organisation said it would provide an update once it had gained “greater clarity on the incident and the likely resolution timeline.”

Fellow aged care service providers Anglicare Sydney and Regis Healthcare were both ransomwared last year. 

The government said last year that ransomware operators were actively targeting the health and aged care sectors.

Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
Copyright © iTnews.com.au . All rights reserved.
Tags:
ransomwaresecurityunitingcare queensland

Partner Content

Security: Understanding the fundamentals of governance, risk & compliance
Promoted Content Security: Understanding the fundamentals of governance, risk & compliance
The Great Resignation has intensified insider security threats
Promoted Content The Great Resignation has intensified insider security threats
How to turn digital complexity into competitive advantage
Promoted Content How to turn digital complexity into competitive advantage
Security "mindset shift" needed to protect organisations
Promoted Content Security "mindset shift" needed to protect organisations

Sponsored Whitepapers

Extracting the value of data using Unified Observability
Extracting the value of data using Unified Observability
Planning before the breach: You can’t protect what you can’t see
Planning before the breach: You can’t protect what you can’t see
Beyond FTP: Securing and Managing File Transfers
Beyond FTP: Securing and Managing File Transfers
NextGen Security Operations: A Roadmap for the Future
NextGen Security Operations: A Roadmap for the Future
Video: Watch Juniper talk about its Aston Martin partnership
Video: Watch Juniper talk about its Aston Martin partnership

Events

  • Micro Focus Information Management & Governance (IM&G) Forum 2022
  • CRN Channel Meets: CyberSecurity Live Event
  • IoT Insights: Secure By Design for manufacturing
  • Cyber Security for Government Summit
  • Forrester Technology & Innovation Asia Pacific 2022
By Ry Crozier
Apr 26 2021
8:58PM
0 Comments

Related Articles

  • UnitingCare Queensland restores key systems after ransomware attack
  • UnitingCare Queensland confirms REvil ransomware infection
  • Tick off the ransomware bandits
  • US puts million dollar bounties on Russian hackers' heads
Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Email A Friend

Most Read Articles

PayTo rollout kicks off

PayTo rollout kicks off

Neobank Volt exits the banking industry

Neobank Volt exits the banking industry

TPG Telecom puts fresh targets on IT simplification

TPG Telecom puts fresh targets on IT simplification

Qantas calls time on IBM, Fujitsu in tech modernisation

Qantas calls time on IBM, Fujitsu in tech modernisation

Digital Nation

IBM global chief data officer on the rise of the number crunchers
IBM global chief data officer on the rise of the number crunchers
Integrity, ethics and board decisions in the digital age
Integrity, ethics and board decisions in the digital age
The security threat of quantum computing
The security threat of quantum computing
Crypto experts optimistic about future of Bitcoin: Block
Crypto experts optimistic about future of Bitcoin: Block
COVER STORY: Operationalising net zero through the power of IoT
COVER STORY: Operationalising net zero through the power of IoT
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorisation.
Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of nextmedia's Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.