Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Science & Technology

Scripps Health Says Malware At Heart Of Weekend Cyberattack

Scripps Health Medical Center in Escondido is pictured in this undated photo.
Scripps Health
Scripps Health Medical Center in Escondido is pictured in this undated photo.

San Diego-based Scripps Health said Wednesday the weekend cyberattack that took down many of its systems stemmed from malware on its computer networks.

According to a Wednesday afternoon statement, an investigation conducted by Scripps Health and an independent cybersecurity firm has determined that the network outage that began Saturday occurred "due to a security incident involving malware," leading the health care system to take a large portion of its network offline as a protective measure.

Though no timeline for recovery has been hinted at, Scripps Health stated that its technical teams "are working 24/7 to restore our systems as quickly and safely as possible, and in a manner that prioritizes our ability to provide patient care."

Advertisement

Further details on the nature of the attack were not disclosed, though Scripps Health indicated in a prior statement it has "notified law enforcement and the appropriate governmental organizations."

Those with appointments slated for the next few days were advised to call 1-800-SCRIPPS for more information.

"While this incident has resulted in operational disruptions at our hospitals and facilities, our clinical staff is trained to provide care in these types of situations, and are committed to doing so," the statement read.

"Scripps Health physicians, nurses and staff are implementing workarounds to mitigate any disruptions and provide uninterrupted care to our patients."