UnitedHealth Group revealed that the Alphv/BlackCat hackers infiltrated Change Healthcare’s systems for nine days before unleashing file-encrypting ransomware, accessed through leaked credentials for a vulnerable Citrix portal lacking multi-factor authentication. CEO Andrew Witty, set to testify before a US Congress committee on May 1, confirmed the attack’s compromise of personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI), leading to a paid ransom to safeguard sensitive data. However, after BlackCat’s exit scam, a second extortion attempt occurred, raising uncertainty about UnitedHealth Group’s response. The breach, affecting a significant portion of the American population, requires ongoing analysis for full assessment due to the complexity of compromised files. Following the discovery on February 21, Change Healthcare’s systems were disconnected from the internet, causing disruptions to essential services, yet restoration efforts, including infrastructure rebuilding and advanced funding to healthcare providers, are underway, with costs estimated at $1.6 billion by year-end.
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