LockBit claims responsibility for cyber attack on Croatian hospital

Ransomware gang LockBit claims it’s the mastermind behind the cyber attack on the University Hospital Centre in Zagreb, also known as KBC Zagreb.

The attack on Zagreb’s largest hospital took place during the night of June 24 to 25, the day after several Croation organizations fell victim to a DDoS attack, including the Department of Finance, the Tax Administration Office and the Zagreb Stock Exchange.

Local media reported that the attack had a big impact on the working conditions. The IT system had to be temporarily disabled. “That took us back 50 years, to paper and pencil,” Assistant Director for Health Care Quality and Supervision at KBC Zagreb Milivoi Navak stated.

Ivan Gornik, head of the Unified Emergency Hospital Admission at KBC Zagreb, said that “all tests can be done to some extent, but the radiological system, which is particularly dependent on information support, may be the most severely affected”.

On its victim page on the dark web, LockBit claims to be responsible for the cyber attack on the Croation hospital.

The ransomware gang says it has exfiltrated an unknown quantity of medical records, patient exams and studies, doctor’s research papers, organ and donor data, employee data, data on donations and relationships with private companies, medical reserve data, and personal data breach reports.

Interior minister Davor Božinovic did not want to comment on the cyber attack. His colleague Health minister Vili Beroš said the government will not negotiate with hackers who are simply looking for money. He couldn’t confirm whether the claims of LockBit on the stolen data are true or false.

Croatia’s police and security services are currently investigating the incident.