SickKids says lab results delayed after ransomware attack

Toronto’s SickKids hospital says it could be weeks before all of its systems are back to normal following a ransomware attack over the weekend.

In an update posted on its website on Thursday, SickKids says clinical teams are currently experiencing delays with lab and imaging results, which may result in longer wait times for patients and their families.

The hospital issued what it called a “Code Grey” for system failure at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday after several internal phone lines and webpages went down.

“Work continues to bring all impacted systems back online and it is anticipated that it will be a matter of weeks before all systems are functioning as normal,” the hospital says.

“Clinical and operational teams are implementing back up procedures for systems that are not yet accessible.”

Urgent care and scheduled appointments and procedures are continuing.

The hospital says the incident is a “fluid and evolving situation that is still under investigation,” adding that it has been working with law enforcement.

“SickKids has been preparing for attacks of this nature, and mobilized quickly to mitigate potential impacts to the continuity of care. We have rapidly engaged with third-party expert organizations and law enforcement to bring a resolution to the situation as quickly as possible.”

The hospital says there no evidence that personal or health information has been impacted.

Toronto police confirmed they were working with the hospital, the Ontario Provincial Police and the provincial government as part of the investigation.

Hackers in ransomware attacks use malware to encrypt a target’s information and hold it hostage until a ransom is paid.

Ritesh Kotak, a Toronto-based cybersecurity expert, said financial motives are often the main driver behind ransomware attacks.

“People pay, if there was no money, no one would be doing it,” he said, noting that some attacks happen just to cause harm.

Kotak said though there is no reliable data available on the number of ransomware attacks, they appear to be on the rise because more activities are conducted online.

“It is clear our world is more connected … all the more reason to put preventative measures in place,” he said.

The incident comes as Ontario’s pediatric hospitals have been under massive strain recently as they deal with a surge in young patients with respiratory illnesses.

Since November, SickKids has seen high patient volumes in its ICU and has reduced the number of surgeries so staff can be redeployed to provide care in that unit.

With files from The Canadian Press