A ransomware attack has knocked out key systems across Kettering Health, a nonprofit network of 14 hospitals and more than 120 outpatient facilities in western Ohio. The incident triggered a large-scale technology outage, forcing the cancellation of many elective procedures and disrupting day-to-day operations. While emergency services remain available, the fallout has rippled across the entire network, affecting patients, staff, and basic communications.
Nature of the Cyberattack
Kettering Health confirmed the outage was the result of a cybersecurity incident, though it has not publicly shared technical details about the breach. In a statement on its website, the health system acknowledged the attack had affected multiple technology platforms and said it was working with third-party experts to investigate and recover.
Among the impacted systems are the call center, electronic scheduling tools, and digital platforms used to support patient care. As a result, patients have faced delays in communication and disruptions to routine services. Despite the ongoing outage, emergency rooms and urgent care clinics remain open, and hospital staff continue to provide care using manual processes where needed.
Interlock Ransomware Gang’s Involvement
According to CNN, the cyberattack has been linked to the Interlock ransomware gang, a group known for using data theft as leverage in its extortion efforts. In this case, Interlock is reportedly threatening to leak sensitive information stolen from Kettering Health unless a ransom is paid.
So far, neither the health system nor law enforcement has disclosed the amount demanded or whether negotiations are taking place. Kettering Health has said only that the investigation is ongoing and that it is working to assess the full scope of the incident.
Emergence of Impersonation Scams
In the days following the ransomware attack, some Kettering Health patients began receiving suspicious phone calls from individuals posing as hospital staff. The callers requested payment for medical services, raising concerns that stolen patient data may already be in use.
Kettering Health has issued a warning about the scam and urged patients not to provide payment or personal information over the phone. Law enforcement agencies are also investigating the wave of fraudulent calls, though it remains unclear whether they are directly connected to the ransomware group or the work of opportunists exploiting the chaos.
Trey Ford, chief information security officer at Bugcrowd, noted the disturbing trend. “The fact that miscreants captured targets for fraudulent outbound collections calls makes me wonder about dwell time,” he said. “Sadly, we live in an age where receiving a call requesting payment for healthcare service is a norm, and there is no solid way to authenticate those callers.”
Broader Implications for Healthcare Cybersecurity
The attack on Kettering Health is the latest reminder that healthcare remains one of the most attractive—and vulnerable—targets for cybercriminals. Hospitals hold vast amounts of personal, medical, and financial data, and they operate under intense time pressure, leaving little room for prolonged outages or delayed care.
“Healthcare organizations like Kettering store a wealth of data... making them lucrative targets,” said Patrick Tiquet, vice president of Security & Architecture at Keeper Security. “The combination of high-value data, operational urgency, and budget constraints creates an ideal attack surface for threat actors.”
Experts point to the need for stronger incident response plans and identity verification practices, especially in the wake of phishing scams and impersonation threats. Tiquet recommends adopting a multi-layered defense strategy—including privileged access management, endpoint protection, and zero-trust security models—as a way to reduce the risk of future breaches.
As ransomware tactics grow more sophisticated, the pressure is mounting on healthcare systems to treat cybersecurity not as an afterthought, but as a core part of operational resilience.
What Comes Next
Kettering Health says it is working with cybersecurity experts to contain the breach and restore affected systems. That process is expected to take time, especially given the scope of the disruption.
As of this week, emergency departments are fully operational, and cancer treatments that were paused have resumed—a sign of progress in restoring essential patient services. However, challenges remain. Patients have reported ongoing issues with payroll processing and the MyChart patient portal, which is still inaccessible for many.
As the situation unfolds, regulatory scrutiny is likely to follow. Because patient data may have been compromised, the incident could trigger investigations under HIPAA and other privacy laws. Federal and state agencies often get involved in breaches of this scale, providing technical support and monitoring for signs of broader systemic risk.
In the meantime, security professionals are urging patients to take their own precautions. Darren Guccione, CEO of Keeper Security, advised individuals to monitor their medical and financial records for suspicious activity. “While there may not be immediate signs of misuse, the stolen data could surface down the road, prolonging risks for both individuals and organizations,” he said.
Health Security as Patient Safety
This attack is more than a technical failure—it’s a patient safety issue. When hospitals can’t access records or schedule procedures, care suffers. The Kettering Health breach is a stark example of why cybersecurity needs to be woven into the fabric of healthcare delivery, not bolted on after the fact.
System-wide improvements—from modernizing legacy systems to investing in automated threat detection—are no longer optional. Until cybersecurity is treated as a fundamental part of healthcare infrastructure, incidents like this will keep happening, with real consequences for the people who rely on these systems to stay healthy and alive.
