Hackers leak French hospital patient data in ransom fight

PARIS: Hackers who crippled a French hospital and stole a trove of data last month have released personal records of patients online, officials have confirmed.

The cyberattackers demanded a multimillion dollar ransom from the Corbeil-Essonnes hospital near Paris a month ago, but the institution refused to pay. The hospital said the hackers had now dumped medical scans and lab analyses along with the national security numbers of patients.

"I condemn in the strongest possible terms the unspeakable disclosure of hacked data," health minister Francois Braun tweeted on Sunday. Hospitals around the world have been facing increasing attacks from ransomware groups, particularly since the pandemic stretched resources to breaking point. The problem has been acute in France, where officials estimated early last year that healthcare institutions were facing on average an attack every week.