PhilHealth hit by Medusa ransomware, aims for site restoration by Monday

PhilHealth hit by Medusa ransomware, aims for site restoration by Monday

PhilHealth hit by Medusa ransomware, aims for site restoration by Monday

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) over the weekend stated it’s working to revive its methods by Monday, September 25, 2023, after being hit by the Medusa ransomware, with the hackers demanding a $300,000 ransom for the stolen knowledge.

The company’s system—together with its web site, Health Care Institution (HCI) and member portal, and e-claims—had been disabled or unplugged as a part of safety containment measures.

“Affected systems shall be restored at the soonest possible time after the completion of the needed configuration and reinforcement of existing information security measures,” PhilHealth stated in a submit uploaded on its official Facebook web page.

“PhilHealth’s Management assures the public that the incident is under control and that no personnel information and medical information has been compromised or leaked,” the assertion added.

This comes as PhilHealth’s methods had been focused by the Medusa ransomware, which is threatening to launch the information stolen from its database ought to the company fail to pay them $300,000 or P17.038 million primarily based on the prevailing alternate charge of P56.795:$1.

In the meantime, PhilHealth has referred to as for the implementation of interim measures similar to the continual launch of advantages of the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) to members and their certified dependents.

PhilHealth is remitted to manage the National Health Insurance Program which goals to offer medical health insurance protection and guarantee inexpensive, acceptable, accessible, and accessible healthcare companies for all residents of the Philippines.

It has additionally suggested accredited healthcare amenities to proceed deducting PhilHealth advantages and devise momentary preparations with sufferers who’re for discharge, for them to avail of the advantages.

“Meanwhile, PhilHealth continues its operations and processes transactions that can be done manually while configurations are ongoing,” PhilHealth stated.

“PhilHealth asks for the public’s understanding regarding this untoward incident,” it added.

PhilHealth stated it has already coordinated with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the National Privacy Commission (NPC), and the cybercrime items of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to conduct forensic investigation and evaluation on the matter.

The DICT on Sunday additionally suggested authorities businesses to evaluate insurance policies concerning staff bringing their very own gadgets to places of work, and the entry administration insurance policies on work-from-home preparations as a result of Medusa ransomware.

In 2019, then-President Rodrigo Duterte in 2019 signed the Universal Health Care Act, making all Filipino residents mechanically enrolled into the National Health Insurance Program. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA Integrated News

Source: www.gmanetwork.com