Cyber Incident Victim: Real Hospital Português
Date:
Aug 2024
Location:
Brazil
Summary
Real Hospital Português suffered a cyberattack that disrupted its operational systems, causing instability in access to patient exam results, appointment scheduling, inventory management, and reception functions. The hospital acknowledged the incident via social media, confirming it was implementing technical and administrative measures with internal and external specialists to mitigate impacts while maintaining patient care services. Patients and companions reported confusion due to limited communication about the outage. Civil Police launched an investigation through its cybercrime unit to determine the scope and perpetrators of the attack.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 0 motives | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On August 28, 2024, Real Hospital Português (RHP) in Recife’s Paissandu neighborhood experienced a cyberattack that destabilized its operational systems. The hospital confirmed the criminal incident via a social media statement on September 2, five days after the initial disruption. Technical instabilities affected multiple critical functions, including access to patient exam results, appointment scheduling, inventory management, and staff shift coordination. The reception system was also compromised due to its integration with the hospital’s broader network infrastructure. Medical staff reportedly lost access to basic diagnostic results such as blood tests and CT scans, forcing adjustments to clinical workflows. Patients and their companions observed operational uncertainties, exacerbated by the hospital’s initial lack of detailed public communication about the incident’s scope or root cause. No data theft or patient safety compromises were explicitly cited in available reports.
The hospital’s September 2 statement emphasized immediate mitigation efforts, deploying internal and external technical teams to contain the attack’s effects while maintaining clinical operations. Administrative measures were implemented to uphold service quality and security protocols despite system outages. The Civil Police registered the incident on August 30 and assigned its Cybercrime Repression Police Station (DPCRICI) to lead the investigation, which remained active at the time of reporting. RHP publicly reaffirmed its operational continuity but did not disclose restoration timelines, attacker attribution, or specific forensic findings. Functional disruptions persisted in ancillary systems like inventory and staffing coordination, though core medical services reportedly continued without formal interruption.