FBI Director: Iran Was Behind Cyberattack On Children’s Hospital Last Year

Iranian hackers were behind a cyberattack on Boston Children’s Hospital last summer that was thwarted by the FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray revealed on Wednesday.

The FBI director made the announcement during a cybersecurity conference at Boston College, calling the targeting of the children’s hospital “one of the most despicable cyberattacks I’ve seen.”

“And quick actions by everyone involved, especially at the hospital, protected both the network and the sick kids who depended on it,” he added.

Wray explained that the quick response was partially because the FBI and Boston Children’s Hospital had been working closely together since a previous cyberattack on the hospital’s computer network in 2014.

“Children’s and our Boston office already knew each other well — before the attack from Iran — and that made a difference,” Wray said.

According to a report from The Washington Post, Wray “did not ascribe a particular motive to the planned attack on the hospital, but he noted that Iran and other countries have been hiring cyber mercenaries to conduct attacks on their behalf. In addition, the health care and public health sector is classified by the U.S. government as one of 16 critical infrastructure sectors, and health care providers such as hospitals are seen as ripe targets for hackers.”

Of those 16 critical infrastructure sectors, 14 endured ransomware attacks in 2021, Wray announced. The FBI director also said that Russian cyberattacks against Ukraine and other countries have been reckless but warned that China was the most significant strategic cyber threat to the United States.