Los Angeles: A Los Angeles hospital has paid $17,000 in bitcoins to hackers after its computer systems were taken offline by ransomware.
<img title="Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/feb/19-LA-hospital.jpg" alt="Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles" /> Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles
Systems at the hospital Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center had been affected for more than a week and their staff was forced to carry out some tasks on paper.
However, the hospital&rsquo;s chief executive Allen Stefanek, said the incident had not affected the quality of patient care. Previously, sources had reported that the hackers were demanding a ransom payment of $3.4m &ndash; but Mr Stefanek denied this. &ldquo;The amount of ransom requested was 40 bitcoins, equivalent to $17,000,&rdquo; he wrote.
&ldquo;The quickest and most efficient way to restore our systems and administrative functions was to pay the ransom and obtain the decryption key.&rdquo; All systems currently in use had been cleared of malware and thoroughly tested, he added.
Ransomware is a form of malware which infects a victim&rsquo;s computer, locking it, and demanding that a ransom &ndash; often in bitcoins &ndash; be paid in order to restore access.

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A Los Angeles hospital has paid $17,000 in bitcoins to hackers after its computer systems were taken offline by ransomware.

LA hospital pays $17,000 as ransom for medical records

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LA hospital pays $17,000 as ransom for medical records

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