Security News > 2021 > May > Ireland's Health Service Executive Held to Ransom by Conti Gang
Ireland's Health Service Executive was hit by a ransomware attack late last week, forcing the organization to shut down its IT system on Friday.
By Sunday it was learned that the Department of Health had also been attacked by what was assumed to be the same gang.
All that is thought so far is that the attack was by the Conti gang, that they demanded a ransom of around $20 million, and it is thought the attack involved the use of a zero day threat.
Little is known about the second reported attack on the Irish Department of Health.
A 'digital note' was left by the attackers and ties the attack to Conti.
The MalwareHunterTeam tweeted today, "Conti ransomware gang got files in HSE case then got email exports between hospitals employees & patients, etc Basically they have all kind of stuff..." In a separate tweet, they commented, "People say bad things about DarkSide ransomware gang. Now, not saying they are great people or something, but they are nowhere from Conti that is bragging about stealing patients' personal data & etc, then acting as good 'businessmen' & asking 19,999kk as 'collateral'."