Tag Archive for: Indiana

Indiana companies face million-dollar decisions as ransomware attacks spike | News


FRANKLIN – In October 2021, Johnson Memorial Health went dark.

A cyberattack had infiltrated the health system’s networks and claimed to possess large amounts of patients’ personal information. The ransomware group was demanding a $3 million Bitcoin payment.

Rather than oblige, hospital administrators decided to go offline to determine the extent of the breach and prevent losing any more data, explained Dave Dunkle, president and CEO of the network.

Soon, hosptial staff were operating in the digital dark age, using paper forms to document all their procedures. Couriers scurried between departments hand-delivering blood-draw orders. With monitoring equipment down, more nurses were called in to the critical-care unit to physically observe each patient.

“It was rough,” Dunkle said. “It was very rough.”

The ransomware group never got paid, but the attack still cost the healthcare system millions of dollars to deal with the fallout. More than two years later, the hospital still hasn’t recovered financially.

“You don’t get that lost business back,” he said. “With margins being so slim for community hospitals like ours, we’re still suffering from the lost income during the attack.”

‘PAIN POINT’

Johnson Memorial Health is just one of thousands of Indiana businesses and organizations struggling to rebound after being targeted by a malware or ransomware scheme.

In recent years, the amount of money lost due to internet crimes has skyrocketed across the state. In 2019, Hoosier victims reported losing over $24 million. Last year, that number more than tripled to $73.5 million, according to data from the most recent FBI Internet Crime Report.

That’s despite the fact the number of reported cybercrime victims in Indiana actually declined by around 1,000 since 2020, when nearly 12,800 fell prey to an attack.

During the first six months of this year, insurance claims for ransomware attacks increased nationally by 27% compared to the second half of 2022, according to Coalition, a company that sells cyber…

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Indiana National Guard taking step onto cyber battlefield | Government and Politics




Holcomb visits Afghan evacuees, U.S. troops at Camp Atterbury

Indiana National Guard Adjutant General Dale Lyles, right, and Gov. Eric Holcomb, second from right, speak with service members Sept. 8 at Camp Atterbury. The Indiana National Guard is expanding into the cyber realm by establishing an intelligence and electronic warfare battalion.




The Indiana National Guard is taking its more than two centuries of battlefield experience into the cyber realm by establishing an intelligence and electronic warfare battalion.

The new electronic fighting force, operating from inside the Indiana Intelligence Center in Indianapolis, will use advanced technologies to protect and defend Hoosiers, Americans and the nation’s allies from cyberwarfare and other technology threats.

“We are committed to bring a new, cutting-edge skill set to the Indiana National Guard,” said Maj. Gen. Dale Lyles, adjutant general of the Indiana National Guard.

“This new intelligence and electronic warfare battalion will do just that and will be a showcase to not only the nation, but also the Hoosier State.”

The Be Well Crisis Helpline is accessed by dialing 211 or 866-211-9966. After entering their zip code and selecting the helpline, the caller is connected to a trained, compassionate counselor available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.






The guard currently is working to fill approximately 200 positions in the new battalion, both from within the existing force of some 13,500 citizen-soldiers and among recruits interested in acquiring the…

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Ransomware attack shuts down Indiana health system’s network


Franklin, Ind.-based Johnson Memorial Health was struck Oct. 2 by a ransomware attack that disabled its computer network.

The health system is working with the FBI and cybersecurity experts to restore its computer operations, according to a news release. The health system said ransomware attacks take time to resolve, so it may be several days before its computer systems are fully operational.

No appointments or surgeries have been canceled, the health system said. Patients are expected to receive services as scheduled, but it’s recommended patients arrive earlier than normal, as registration processes are expected to be slower.

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Phone scam alert involving fake Amazon calls issued in Indiana County – TribLIVE



Phone scam alert involving fake Amazon calls issued in Indiana County  TribLIVE

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