Skip to main content

Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

An Iranian-linked hacktivist group has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack that has impacted a major US medical technology company.

Getting into it: The cyberattack, which took place around midnight Wednesday, targeted the computer systems of Stryker, a major US medical technology manufacturer. The attack impacted Stryker’s global network, disrupting systems across offices and forcing the company to shut down access to corporate computers and send employees home as the network became unusable.

HDKua41WUAE1Imu

The Iran-linked hacktivist group Handala claimed responsibility for the incident and said the operation marked a “new chapter in cyber warfare.” The group said it targeted Stryker because of the company’s connections to the US military and its previous acquisition of an Israeli medical technology firm. During the attack, the group’s logo reportedly appeared on Stryker login portals while thousands of computers, servers, and connected devices were wiped, leaving employees scrambling to unplug systems.

Stryker confirmed the breach in a statement, saying it was experiencing a “global network disruption to our Microsoft environment as a result of a cyberattack.” The company said it had no indication of ransomware or malware and believes the incident has been contained, though teams are continuing to investigate the scope and impact. Stryker said it has activated business continuity measures and is working to restore systems while continuing to support customers and partners.

The disruption has raised concerns across the healthcare sector because Stryker produces a wide range of hospital equipment and emergency response technology. Some reports indicated that certain medical data transmission systems used by emergency responders were temporarily impacted, though officials said patient care had not been directly disrupted.

This comes as US agencies and cybersecurity officials have warned of possible cyberattacks due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. In a memo obtained by ABC last week, DHS said “we are most concerned that Iran-aligned hacktivists will conduct low-level cyber attacks against US networks, such as website defacements and distributed denial-of-service attack.”

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Keep up to date with our latest videos, news and content