German hospitals targeted in massive cyberattack

Data belonging to tens of thousands of patients was stolen in a cyberattack targeting an external service provider used by numerous hospitals in Germany, public broadcaster ARD reported Friday.

The University Hospital of Cologne alone said 30,000 people were affected. According to reports, the attack took place in mid-April. Since the breach targeted the external service provider rather than the hospital itself, clinical systems and patient care were not compromised at any point.

In the southern state of Baden-Wurttemberg, thieves stole data from more than 72,000 patients at the university hospitals of Freiburg, Ulm, Heidelberg, and Tubingen. The extent of the breach varied among the hospitals.

Hospitals say patient care unaffected

According to the University Hospital in Freiburg, the incident affected some patients with private supplementary insurance as well as self-paying patients.

As a result, master data including names, dates of birth, and addresses was stolen from around 54,000 people. In about 900 cases, billing data was also compromised. The information could reveal details related to diagnoses and types of treatment.

In Cologne, criminals accessed general data including names, addresses, and treating physicians of more than 27,000 people. The University Hospital said it would personally notify all affected individuals in the coming days, adding that anyone who does not receive a letter was not affected.

The University Hospital of Saarland reported more than 1,200 affected cases.

According to the hospitals, the external service provider handles billing for services provided to patients with private or elective medical coverage on behalf of numerous hospitals across Germany. They reiterated that patient care and clinical systems were not affected at any time.

Cyberattacks in Germany are reportedly intensifying as the country’s critical infrastructure faces mounting threats.

Once primarily associated with criminal activity, cyberattacks are increasingly being used for political leverage. Companies, hospitals, power plants, and politicians have all been targeted, disrupting services and exposing sensitive data.