Ransomware Attack Disrupts Care at UNM Health

A cyberattack disrupted patient care and academic activities at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center (UNM Health), prompting temporary restrictions on admissions and procedures.

On Monday, UNM Health limited new patient admissions, diverted ambulances to nearby hospitals, and suspended outpatient surgeries and appointments. UNM Hospital and Sandoval Regional Medical Center remained open. The university later said clinics had resumed appointments and procedures, ambulance traffic was operating normally, and all critical electronic systems were back online.

UNM said its IT security teams worked with external partners to secure the network. The center said an assessment found the incident affected some end-user devices but did not penetrate core systems or servers. The university did not disclose the type of cyberattack.

The ransomware group Byod claimed responsibility on its data leak site, alleging it compromised 36,000 systems and accessed personal data belonging to students and employees. Those claims have not been confirmed by UNM. BleepingComputer said it contacted UNM Health Sciences for comment but had not received a response.

UNM said classes at its four health sciences schools were canceled on the day of the disruption, and nonessential employees were told to stay home. The center advised patients, staff, and students to watch for unsolicited messages and phishing attempts.