# Cyberattack Cripples UNM Health System, Ambulances Diverted A recent cyberattack on the **University of New Mexico Health System** (UNM Health) caused widespread disruption, forcing the diversion of ambulances and the cancellation of outpatient surgeries and appointments. The incident underscores the severe operational impact that cyber threats can have on critical healthcare services. ## Immediate Fallout and Operational Disruptions On Monday, UNM Health's IT team moved swiftly to contain the breach and alerted federal law enforcement. For approximately two hours, ambulances were redirected to other facilities in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, while outpatient surgeries and appointments were suspended for the remainder of the day. “The cybersecurity threat is affecting the entire University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center,” a spokesperson stated. This encompasses not just the health system, but also its academic campus and medical research facilities. UNM Health is a vital resource for New Mexico, housing the state's sole burn unit, children's hospital, and Level 1 trauma center. It also serves a significant portion of the state's uninsured population. ## Employee Alerts and System Restoration Local reports indicated that employees received urgent alerts instructing them to power down and unplug all desktops, and disconnect mobile devices from the hospital Wi-Fi. By late Monday afternoon, UNM Health began the process of bringing systems back online and resuming operations. While all appointments were scheduled to resume on Tuesday, classes at the School of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, and College of Population Health were canceled, including online and remote sessions. Academic and research units within the **UNM Health Sciences Center** also remained closed, with non-essential employees advised to stay home. “We recognize this event may have impacted patients, employees and students, and we appreciate their patience as our teams respond,” a spokesperson commented, noting that details were limited due to an active law enforcement investigation. ## Ransomware Group BYOD Claims Responsibility Although UNM Health did not confirm whether the incident involved ransomware, a new group calling themselves **BYOD** later claimed responsibility. They asserted compromise of 36,000 machines across the university's main campus and hospital, along with the exfiltration of sensitive data belonging to students, patients, and employees. **BYOD** is a relatively unknown entity, having only emerged last month with a limited number of reported victims. ## A Growing Trend of Attacks on Public Services This incident at UNM Health is the second major cyberattack on a large state hospital this year. In March, the **University of Mississippi Medical Center** was shut down by a ransomware attack, causing weeks of disruption to critical services, including the state's only children's hospital and Level I trauma center. Ransomware gangs have increasingly targeted public services. Last week, the city of Columbia, South Carolina, also grappled with a ransomware attack that took down numerous resident-facing systems. These attacks highlight a disturbing trend where critical public infrastructure, particularly healthcare and municipal services, are becoming prime targets for cybercriminals, leading to significant operational challenges and potential risks to public safety.