Was Summit Health, with Hundreds of Locations, a Victim of a Cyberattack by LockBit3.0?

Picture a sunny afternoon in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. The birds are singing in the summery sky and all is seemingly quiet and serene. A comfortable calmness sets in. Yet, hidden away behind towering buildings, there lies the bustling hub of Summit Health, a massive hive buzzing with over 2,800 healthcare professionals and 13,000 employees, all committed to rendering top-notch patient care.

Things, however, took a bit of a wild turn for Summit Health recently. Just last week, they found themselves at the metaphorical sword-point of the notorious LockBit3.0. This old-school ‘Robin Hood gone wrong’ figure of cyber land, added Summit Health to their leak site. The deal was simple – pay up by November 8, or their patient data is aired out like yesterday’s laundry.

Now, here’s the part where things get a bit fuzzy. You see, these cyber troublemakers, they’re a bit like the weather in London – elusive and unpredictable. The notice on their site was as vague as a ‘will it, won’t it rain?’ forecast. There was no clarity on what they may have snagged off Summit Health’s vault or if they’ve filled those data bags with targeted encryption. It felt a lot like watching a gripping, cryptic teaser trailer with no release date in sight. To add to the mystery, no evidence of their claims was provided – not a screenshot or a file list to be sighted.

One attempted to get in touch with Summit Health to unravel this cyber saga. You know, just a casual nudge to see what’s brewing on their end: a polite email dropped to their media contact on the day this drama unfolded – November 3. Did I hear back? Well, it was all quiet on the American front, I’m afraid. Not the type to give up so soon, I sent another earlier today – still no word.

Now, I’m not one to point fingers, but it’s a bit like hosting a good old British tea party and not inviting the next-door neighbour – not cricket, right? Now, is it LockBit3.0’s confidence or Summit Health’s silence that should intrigue you? Well, that’s something to certainly ponder over, isn’t it?

Although the claims remain unconfirmed, the lack of denial from Summit Health keeps this mystery bubbling away. If they do break their silence and sound a statement, you’ll be the first to know, I promise – because a good cuppa and a chat about cyber goss do make for an entertaining afternoon, wouldn’t you agree?

by Parker Bytes