Hackers Post Naked Pictures Of Cancer Patients After Hospital Denies Ransom

A group of Russian-linked hackers obtained and shared naked photos of Pennsylvania cancer patients on the dark web after a health group denied its ransom demands.

Lehigh Valley Health Network said BlackCat, which it described as "a ransomware gang associated with Russia," recently posted three photos of patients receiving radiation oncology treatment online, as well as "seven documents containing patient information."

“This unconscionable criminal act takes advantage of patients receiving cancer treatment, and LVHN condemns this despicable behavior,” the network told the New York Post in an article published Wednesday (March 8) morning.

LVHN said it initially "detected unauthorized activity within our IT system" on February 6 and “immediately launched an investigation, engaged leading cybersecurity firms and experts, and notified law enforcement," according to the Post.

BlackCat, which is also known as ALPHV and Carbon Spider, is linked to the Russian ransomware gang REvil and has largely targeted American health services since it was initially detected by authorities in November 2021. The group had previously posted threats online prior to leaking the private LVHN images and information.

“Our blog is followed by a lot of world media, the case will be widely publicized, and will cause significant damage to your business,” BlackCat said in a message shared by security experts.

“Your time is running out. We are ready to unleash our full power on you,” it added.

It wasn't immediately clear how much money the gang demanded as part of the ransom, though a recent Department of Health and Human Services briefing said BlackCat had "demanded ransoms as high as $1.5 million."

“Affiliates keep 80-90% of the ransom fee,” the government agency said, acknowledging BlackCat's ties to REvil.