HHS alerts field to cyberattacks against servers running Veeam software 

Health sector organizations should immediately patch a vulnerability in Veeam software used to back up, replicate and restore data on virtual machines, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Centers (HC3) said in an alert May 10, citing recent attacks against internet-facing servers running the software. The alert recommends organizations remain vigilant for suspicious activity and keep systems up to date. 

“As health care organizations incorporate the use of virtual desktops they should also be aware, as with any technology, of the potential cyber risk exposure created through technical vulnerabilities associated with the technology,” said John Riggi, AHA’s national advisor for cybersecurity and risk. “In this instance, the Veeam backup and replication software contains a significant vulnerability that would allow an attacker to steal user credentials, remotely run highest privilege code, access backups, and potentially steal data or deploy ransomware. Veeam recommends that all users upgrade to the latest version immediately.” 

For more information on this or other cyber and risk issues, contact Riggi at jriggi@aha.org. For the latest cyber and risk resources and threat intelligence, visit  aha.org/cybersecurity