Boston Scientific, a prominent medical device manufacturer, has reported a "global disruption" to its operations following an ongoing cyberattack that began on Tuesday. The company disclosed the incident in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday, confirming that its IT systems have been affected.
The cybersecurity incident has led to significant limitations and disruptions in access to certain information systems and business applications that support various aspects of Boston Scientific's operations. This includes, but is not limited to, the ability to process and ship customer orders.
Upon detecting the intrusion, Boston Scientific initiated an investigation with the assistance of third-party information security experts. These experts are currently working to contain the threat and assess the full scope of the attack.
As of the latest reports, the company has not provided a timeline for the full restoration of its systems. The complete nature, scope, and potential impacts, including operational and financial consequences, are still under investigation. The news of the disruption led to a more than 4% drop in Boston Scientific's shares on Wednesday morning.
It remains unconfirmed whether the incident is a ransomware infection or if any data was exfiltrated from the company's systems. No specific threat actor or group has publicly claimed responsibility for the attack at this time.
The incident at Boston Scientific follows a trend of cyberattacks targeting the medical technology sector. In March, medical device maker Stryker experienced a global network outage attributed to a cyber crew reportedly linked to Iran's intelligence agency. The following month, Medtronic disclosed a cyberattack, with the data-theft-and-extortion group ShinyHunters claiming responsibility. Medtronic later confirmed in July that patient data, including names, contact details, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and health information, had been stolen in that breach.
