Cyber Incident Victim: Butler County Health Care Center
Date:
Aug 2022
Location:
United States of America
Summary
The FBI prevented a cyberattack targeting Butler County Health Care Center after receiving intelligence from Irish authorities indicating the facility was among six organizations under threat within the Omaha jurisdiction. The hospital’s IT director swiftly identified and isolated the compromised server, preventing unauthorized access to patient data and mitigating the incident before harm occurred. While the attack was successfully averted, investigators continue efforts to identify the responsible threat actors.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On August 10, 2022, the FBI intervened to prevent a cyberattack targeting Butler County Health Care Center, a hospital based in David City, Nebraska. The FBI’s Omaha field office received intelligence from investigators in Ireland indicating that six cooperatives within its jurisdiction, including the healthcare facility, were under active targeting by an unidentified hacker group. Federal agents promptly alerted Cynthia Neesen, the hospital’s IT Director, about the imminent threat. Neesen’s team conducted an internal investigation that identified a specific compromised server within the hospital’s infrastructure. The hospital immediately isolated the affected server by taking it offline, halting the attack before any unauthorized access to patient data or other sensitive information could occur. This rapid containment prevented data exfiltration or encryption, averting operational disruption or potential harm to patient care.
The FBI’s advance warning enabled the hospital to neutralize the threat at an early stage, with no reported impact on clinical services, financial systems, or patient records. Law enforcement did not disclose the attackers’ intended methods or motives, nor did they identify the cybergroup responsible. Following the incident, the FBI continued investigative efforts to trace the origin of the attack and identify the perpetrators. No additional vulnerabilities or breaches were reported at Butler County Health Care Center in connection with this event. The hospital resumed normal operations without further incident, having mitigated the threat through coordinated action between its IT team and federal authorities.