Cyberattack by Russian hackers targets U-M Health, but system says patient info is safe

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - University of Michigan Health says it was hit by a cyberattack affecting its public websites, but claims that patient information has not been compromised.

The websites for U-M hospital and Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor were down on Monday — but tonight they are back up and running.

A technology security company called BetterCyber tweeted a message out from Killnet — a group of Russian hackers— listing several websites that belong to hospitals across the country.

CS Mott in Ann Arbor is on the list. The University of Michigan Health System declined to speak on camera about the issue but releasing a statement from Mary Masson, public relations director.

"The University of Michigan Health has been experiencing intermittent problems with its public websites as a result of a cyberattack on a third-party vendor, we use to host some of our sites.

"We are working with the third party to mitigate it and expect to have our sites fully functional as soon as possible. Patients can still access the patient portal via myuofmhealth.org."

Masson went on to clarify what was impacted.

"The only sites that have been attacked are public websites hosted by a third-party vendor. None of the sites impacted contain patient information and all patient information is safe."

The other hospital websites mentioned on that Killnet list are also back online tonight.