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The MSWiA Hospital in Krakow attacked by cybercriminals
On Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski announced that the MSWiA hospital in Kraków has fallen victim to a cyberattack. Emergency protocols have been activated, and the facility is currently functioning at a partial capacity. MD Michał Zabojszcz, the hospital’s director, reassured that „the health and lives of patients currently in the hospital are not in jeopardy.”
In a message on the X platform, Gawkowski stated that the cybersecurity teams, including CERT Polska, the e-Health Center, and the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime, are working diligently to secure evidence and assist the hospital in swiftly resuming normal operations.
„Government services are engaged in coordinated operational efforts to pinpoint the attackers,” the minister remarked.
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The head of the Ministry of Interior and Administration, Minister Coordinator of Special Services Tomasz Siemoniak, expressed that „the hacker attack on the Ministry of Interior and Administration hospital in Kraków demonstrates that there are no boundaries for Poland’s adversaries in their attempts to inflict harm, particularly on patients and staff.”
„The swift response of the services, primarily the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime, the Ministry of Digital Affairs, and the Ministry of Health, guaranteed the safety of the facility,” he posted on X. He mentioned that essential technical measures and the pursuit of the perpetrators are currently underway. He also expressed gratitude to the police officers, CERT Polska personnel, the e-Health Center, and hospital management for their prompt actions and professionalism.
„The health and lives of patients are not in danger”
Dr. n. med. Michał Zabojszcz, the director of the MSWiA hospital in Kraków, reported that due to the cyberattack, the hospital’s primary computer system, which underpins the medical documentation system, ceased functioning. It remains unclear whether there has been a data breach, although the facility’s management believes it is likely.
He stated that the hospital has limited emergency admissions, with patients arriving by ambulance directed to the three closest hospitals. Individuals who came in on their own were treated on-site. Currently, there are around 100 patients in the Kraków hospital.
Zabojszcz confirmed that following the attack, all procedures to ensure the continuity of the hospital’s operations were initiated, and his team reverted to analog processes. – The health and lives of patients present in the hospital are not in danger – he reassured.
He added that aside from the electronic medical records system, there were also temporary limitations on laboratory diagnostics and imaging services, but these systems have since been restored.
– The primary computer system of the hospital is not yet functional, and I cannot specify when it will be operational; all relevant services are actively working to ascertain the full extent of this attack and how we will restore everything – the hospital director informed the Ministry of Interior and Administration. He mentioned that efforts are being made to organize the hospital’s operations in the coming days to ensure that planned admissions proceed as scheduled or with minimal restrictions.
He indicated that after the attack, the facility’s computer systems received a communication from those responsible for the attack, requesting contact for further information. „The police are already addressing this matter,” he stressed.
Gawkowski: They attempted to seize critical infrastructure
During the conference, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski also addressed the issue. – There is no threat to the life and health of patients, which is the most crucial aspect – he highlighted.
– The adversaries attempted to seize critical infrastructure, but the rapid response from the hospital and services has allowed some systems to resume functioning. (…) There was a period during which patients could not be admitted to the hospital, but all of this is being rectified; new servers are in place, and administration is already in recovery – he clarified.
As he pointed out, a few more hours may be needed, and potentially „a bit more time for everything to be fully operational, but the hospital has received comprehensive support from the Ministry of Interior and Administration, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Digital Affairs.”
He mentioned that „part of the hospital, particularly the administrative section, is functioning in emergency mode, or what could be termed paper mode, meaning that documentation must be processed in physical form.” – This is not unusual, as the hospital was well computerized, but the procedures have taken slightly longer. There is no risk to patients’ lives, but we are also working to restore those systems that are not yet active – Gawkowski stated.
The Minister of Digital Affairs noted that the attack occurred yesterday, and that the services have been operating continuously since then.
– All services were already present on-site yesterday and were taking action. To
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