Iran behind cyberattack on Michigan-based medical company Stryker

Expert discusses Stryker cyber attack

Stryker, a major medical supply company based in Portage, announced its systems were disrupted by a cyber attack. Leon DuPree, a part-time lecturer with Eastern Michigan University's College of Engineering & Technology discusses the attack and how companies and people can protect themselves.

(FOX 2) - The medical company Stryker, a Michigan-based firm on the west side of the state detected a cyberattack believed to have originated from Iran this week.

They said in a statement the "incident is contained" and do not believe that ransomware or malware made it into the system.

"Our teams are working rapidly to understand the impact of the attack on our systems," Stryker said in a statement on its website.

Local perspective:

FOX 2 spoke to a professor from Eastern Michigan University, who told us this kind of attack often comes during a time of war. 

"The purpose of this attack is to send a message to disrupt the normal functions, of an organization, of a state, of a country so they cannot do the things that they normally would do," said Leon DuPree.

DuPree teaches cybersecurity project management.

"We are now in a geopolitical situation and that we can no longer be lax," said Dupree. "I think that because we are separatedby two oceans in this great country of ours and we have survived WW1 and WW2 and various wars and the USSR fell, we have forgotten there is another type of warfare that can occur and this is a reminder of that.

"We have to take the necessary steps to assume that we are under a cyberattack and take the steps to defend against it."

What they're saying:

The company released a statement early Friday morning.

"We are continuing to resolve the disruption impacting our global network, resulting from the cyber attack. At this time, there is no indication of malware or ransomware and we believe the situation is contained to our internal Microsoft environment only.

Our products like Mako, Vocera and LIFEPAK35 are fully safe to use.

We have visibility to the orders entered before the event, and they will be shipped as soon as our system communications are restored. Any orders that have come in after the event are being examined.

We are working to ensure our electronic ordering system is back up and running as quickly as possible. 

It is safe to communicate with Stryker employees and sales representatives by email and phone, and within your facility.

We are committed to keeping our stakeholders informed as we manage this situation. There is nothing more important to us than the customers and patients we serve. Please visit Stryker.com/newsroom for daily updates."