A cyberattack wreaked havoc on systems and services at Change Healthcare, a leading healthcare technology company in the United States, as reported by both news sources and statements from UnitedHealth Group’s Optum unit. Change Healthcare was acquired by UnitedHealth Group in 2022.
In response to the breach, Change Healthcare released a statement acknowledging the cyber security issue, stating, “Change Healthcare is experiencing a cybersecurity issue, and our experts are diligently working to address the matter.” The company further highlighted their swift response upon detecting the external threat, asserting that, “In the interest of protecting our partners and patients, we took immediate action to disconnect our systems to prevent further impact.”
At present, Change Healthcare believes the issue is isolated to its own systems, emphasizing that all other systems within the broader UnitedHealth Group remain operational. The company anticipates that the disruption will persist throughout the day and has committed to providing regular updates as more information becomes available.
This incident underscores the ongoing challenges and threats faced by organizations operating in the digital landscape, particularly those in the healthcare sector where the safeguarding of sensitive patient information is paramount.
