Buffalo, N.Y.-based Erie County Medical Center has dished out nearly $10 million in expenses to recover from a ransomware attack in April, according to The Buffalo News.
Here are five things to know.
1. A ransomware attack at ECMC shut down more than 6,000 computers and demanded 24 bitcoin — or about $30,000 — in ransom, which the medical center did not pay.
2. Although the medical center did not pay the ransom, ECMC officials estimate expenses from the incident totaled almost $10 million. The medical center will procure new computer hardware, software and assistance, worth nearly $5 million.
3. Other expenses, like paying staff for overtime work and accounting for lower revenue during the system shutdown, will cost ECMC another $5 million.
4. ECMC officials are also anticipating investing $250,000 to $400,000 each month to continually upgrade technology and train employees.
5. Hospital CEO Thomas Quatroche Jr., PhD, told The Buffalo News he is confident the medical center will still end the year with a budget surplus of $1 million to $2 million — last year, ECMC reported a $2.1 million surplus on $593 million in operating revenues.
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