BHS Dealing With Malware Threat
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Health Systems is trying to heal some sick computers after they were infected with malware during the past week.
"No patient health or payment information was compromised during this event and that information is protected by a sophisticated and secure system," said BHS spokesman Michael Leary in response to an inquiry by iBerkshires.
Leary said the FBI's Boston office contacted BHS on Tuesday to share information on the malware threat, which has apparently caused problems at other businesses around the world recently.
Berkshire Health Systems personnel began seeing evidence of the event last weekend and brought in computer security experts to assist in identifying, containing and eliminating the malware, he said.
The health-care system maintains backups so staff does not have to rely on affected systems that are affected. Leary said services were uninterrupted at Berkshire Medical Center, Fairview Hospital, the Hillcrest and North Adams campuses, the Berkshire VNA, physician practices and affiliated long-term care facilities. All physician appointments, hospital procedures and testing continued.
"Our clinical and support staff has been exemplary in both their response to this situation and their dedication to continuing to provide the highest level of care to the community, and they have adapted to the extra burdens of this challenging situation so that we can continue to provide that care without interruption," Leary wrote.
The response included a team of information technology specialists, partnering with the system's software providers and outside experts in dealing with malware. Leary said the response plan was immediately enacted upon discovery of the malware, and that team is working around the clock to address the effects and to restore the systems to their normal operations.
"It is unfortunate, but computer malware events have become more and more common for all businesses everywhere, and this is why BHS has invested considerable resources in information technology and security in order to address any computer issues that can arise," he said.
Tags: BHS, computers, malware,
