Ransomware feared as IT 'issues' force Octapharma Plasma to close 150+ centers

Octapharma Plasma has blamed IT"network issues" for the ongoing closure of its 150-plus centers across the US. It's feared a ransomware infection may be the root cause of the medical firm's ailment."If they don't restore the systems, they will need to close their factories in Europe as more than 75 percent of their plasma comes from the US," the source told us."IT management don't give a s*** about security and they are now learning a lesson.

"The containment measures, which included shutting down certain of the company's systems, resulted in an operational disruption," the biz admitted. It also said the intruders likely got hold of people's personal information, and it is in the process of recovering from the cyberattack. Again, this may be another ransomware infection."Further updates on reopening will be sent via email, social media, OctaApp, and our website," Octapharma noted on its website today.

Our source close to the alleged Octapharma infection didn't know if any extortionists had made any ransom demand, or if the company was negotiating with a crew. We're told the FBI has been alerted, and we've asked the federal bureau for comment.Encrypting hospital and pharmacy systems with malware may prevent patients from accessing life-saving treatments and medications.

All of this means that the healthcare sector, when facing extortion demands, is more likely to pay a ransom. And that makes the entire industry a prime target for financially motivated crime gangs that have been using increasinglyon the Akira ransomware strain. We're told the malware's masterminds get into organizations"mostly using known Cisco vulnerabilities.

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