Idaho hospitals working to resume full operations after cyberattack

IDAHO FALLS (AP) - Two eastern Idaho hospitals, along with their clinics, are working to restore full operations following a cyberattack against their computer systems.

Idaho Falls Community Hospital officials said that the attack occurred Monday. Some clinics were closed, ambulances were diverted to hospitals nearby, and cafes only accepted cash. Mountain View Hospital in Idaho Falls was also affected by the virus, according to officials.

Officials said that hospital information technology staff quickly identified the attack and acted immediately to minimize the impact and keep all patient data safe and secure.

On Wednesday, the recovery from the attack is still ongoing.

Officials said that both hospitals are open and safely care for their patients. The vast majority of clinics continue to see patients as normal.

Cyber attackers have found healthcare organizations to be an attractive target, especially those who use malware in order to lock up files of the victim and then demand payment. The threat of ransomware is persistent in the healthcare industry. It's one of the sectors that the U.S. Government classifies as critical.

The Idaho officials have referred to this problem only as a virus which needs to be eliminated.