The University of Mississippi Medical Center has become the fourth Mississippi hospital system hit by cybercriminals since 2023, triggering system shutdowns that left many patients confused about what had happened. The incident highlights a growing wave of ransomware attacks on hospitals across the country.
Cybersecurity expert Joseph Steinberg said hospitals must take extensive precautions, noting that the most effective protection must be in place long before an attack occurs.
“Unfortunately, most of the things that can be done need to be done before a breach, both to reduce the likelihood of a breach and, perhaps even more importantly, to reduce the magnitude of it,” Steinberg said. “If a criminal does get in, the extent of the damage is going to be much less.”
Two Mississippi Senate bills proposed reinforcing statewide cybersecurity efforts. One would have created a Department of Cyber Security, and the other would have appointed a Chief Information Officer reporting directly to the governor. Sen. Tyler McCaughn said the need for stronger defenses continues to grow.
“The goal with the Department of Cybersecurity was to bring the assets that we’ve got into one location and begin to be proactive in the attacks against these people that are attacking us,” McCaughn said.
After visiting several UMMC clinics around the Jackson metro area, multiple patients said they were unaware a cyberattack had taken place.
Steinberg noted that laws such as HIPAA offer some protection for patients, though investigations must determine whether any violations occurred.
“Even with protection there are cases of breaches,” he said. “Until something is investigated, it’s not necessarily possible to determine if somebody messed up or if it really was beyond anyone’s control.”
North Mississippi Health Services, OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville and Singing River Health System in Ocean Springs have also reported cyberattacks in the past three years.
With limited details available, many patients are left wondering when UMMC’s systems will be fully restored.
For more information on personal data protection, Steinberg offers cybersecurity advice at: 13 Tips to Achieve Great CyberSecurity Without Spending a Fortune - Joseph Steinberg: CyberSecurity Expert Witness, Privacy, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Advisor