Medtronic Thwarts Cyberattack Following Stryker Data Breach

Medtronic, the largest medical device maker in the world, successfully contained a cyberattack on its corporate IT systems. The company confirmed that the breach did not impact any of its products or patients.

This incident marks the second cyberattack in two months on a medical device manufacturer following a global attack on Stryker in early March. That breach, attributed to the pro-Iran group Hawala Hack, left Stryker scrambling as data was wiped from employee devices and some surgeries were postponed.

Medtronic detailed the recent attack in a statement released on Monday. The company explained that its IT, product, manufacturing, and distribution networks are kept separate from hospital customer networks, which are managed by the customers’ IT teams.

“Upon identifying this unauthorized access, we immediately took steps to contain the incident, activated our incident response protocols and engaged leading cybersecurity experts to support our investigation and remediation actions,” said Medtronic in its statement.

Medtronic is actively working to identify any personal information that may have been accessed and will provide notifications and support services as necessary. The company does not anticipate any negative impact on its business operations or financial results.

In contrast, Stryker reported that hackers claimed to have erased around 200,000 systems while stealing 50 terabytes of data. Medtronic continues its investigation into the cyberattack and the status of its operational integrity.

The Stryker incident serves as a reminder of the increasing threats faced by medical device manufacturers in today’s digital landscape.