If you’re searching for updates on the Kettering Health ransomware attack, wondering who was responsible, what data was stolen, or whether the hospital has recovered—here’s everything you need to know. A cyberattack targeting this major Ohio-based healthcare network has triggered serious concerns over data privacy, patient safety, and the rising wave of cybercrime in the healthcare industry.
Kettering Health, a trusted network of hospitals, clinics, and medical centers in Ohio, fell victim to a large-scale ransomware attack in May 2025. The group behind the breach? Interlock—a relatively new but increasingly active ransomware gang that has been targeting healthcare providers across the U.S. since September 2024. Two weeks after the breach, Interlock publicly claimed responsibility on its dark web site, asserting that it had exfiltrated over 940 gigabytes of sensitive data from Kettering Health’s internal systems.
This claim came after initial reports by CNN on May 20, which first linked Interlock to the attack, though the group hadn’t yet acknowledged it. Cybersecurity experts suggest that delaying public claims is a common tactic among ransomware gangs, often used to pressure organizations into paying a ransom under threat of data exposure. Interlock's decision to go public may suggest failed negotiations and a pivot to public extortion tactics.
Among the leaked files are highly sensitive materials, including electronic health records (EHRs), private clinical summaries, employee files, and even internal police department documents. Patient information such as mental health status, medications, and treatment notes were reportedly part of the stolen trove—raising urgent concerns about HIPAA compliance, identity theft, and personal security. Also exposed: confidential records like polygraph results and background checks tied to members of the Kettering Health Police Department.
Despite the scale of the breach, Kettering Health has confirmed that it did not pay a ransom, according to senior VP of emergency operations, John Weimer. This reinforces a growing trend among healthcare institutions choosing to resist ransom demands, often to avoid encouraging further attacks. Meanwhile, the healthcare provider continues working closely with cybersecurity experts and law enforcement to contain the damage and restore operations.
On Monday, Kettering Health shared a key recovery update. The organization successfully restored “core components” of its Epic-powered electronic health record system, calling it a major milestone in resuming normal operations. With access to EHRs now reinstated, care teams can once again communicate efficiently and manage patient treatment plans with accuracy—an essential step toward regaining patient trust.
Cyberattacks on hospitals are growing more frequent and severe, highlighting the need for advanced cybersecurity protocols, ransomware protection, and data breach response plans. High-risk sectors like healthcare, finance, and government are prime targets for threat actors, and the Kettering Health ransomware incident is yet another wake-up call for digital defense strategies in critical infrastructure.
If you have inside information about this attack or similar breaches, reporter Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai welcomes secure contact via Signal, Telegram, Keybase, or email—especially from non-work devices to ensure anonymity and safety.
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