Post by @briankrebs@infosec.exchange

2026-03-12 12:08 UTC

Added this as an update to the story on the wiper attack on medtech giant Stryker, which doesn't just sell medical devices: A number of hospitals have opted to disconnect from Stryker's online services to minimize risk from the attack, including LifeNet, a service used by countless hospitals to send EKGs etc. from emergency responders to the emergency room in advance of the patient arriving (to speed up treatment, minimize heart tissue damage, etc). Some states, e.g., Maryland, actually require the transmission of this information, and are asking providers who have disconnected from LifeNet to start using the phone to describe the results of EKGs recorded by emergency personnel in the field.

Replies (5)

@craigbro@infosec.exchange 2026-03-12 12:11

@briankrebs that mitigation from outside, seems at odds with the described attack. Im curious now about how that transfer occurs where it could be a lateral movement vector.

Open ##1597544
@rogue_cells@chaos.social 2026-03-12 12:14

@briankrebs I might be naive, but how bout printing the ECG diagram and sending it using "traditional" ways if necessary? That's at least what I'd do here in Germany should our electronic services fail. That's what, I assume, everyone did before monitors became IoT devices. Of course it's not as "sexy" as pressing a button and it's there, but I mean... if you need to send it, you send it. Nonetheless, the attack on Stryker is a huge disruption.

Open ##1597552
@shadownetworks@infosec.exchange 2026-03-12 12:40

@briankrebs having worked in healthcare IT, private run ambulances along with undercutting ACA really put us into relying on third-parties to transfer patient data, instead of straight from ambulance to care point. One would think with 5G and EPIC/Cerner/Meditech, we could resolve this problem without need to tie back to the manufacturer. /rant /sigh

Open ##1597595
@adisonverlice@tweesecake.social 2026-03-12 13:40

@briankrebs wouldn't this violate HIPAA laws sense they're going over the public switched telephone network?

Open ##1597603
@stonykark@mstdn.ca 2026-03-12 17:58

@briankrebs lol fuck that could be really bad news. In my region some paramedics are qualified to interpret 12-leads, but there's not enough to go around. Rural communities would suffer the most. Hope we don't use Lifenet!

Open ##1597625