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The FBI thwarted a planned cyberattack on a Boston children’s hospital by hackers sponsored by the Iranian government, FBI Director Christopher Wray said on Wednesday.
Wray told a Boston College cybersecurity conference that his agents learned of the planned digital attack from an unidentified intelligence partner, and that he had gotten Boston Children’s Hospital the information it needed to thwart what could be “one of the most despicable cyberattacks I’ve ever seen” last summer. ”
“And especially the quick actions of everyone involved at the hospital protected both the network and the sick children connected to it,” Wray said.
The FBI chief recounted this anecdote in a broader conversation about the ongoing cyber threats from Russia, China, and Iran, and the need for partnerships between the U.S. government and the private sector.
The Bureau and Boston Children’s Hospital said they worked closely together after a hacker attacked the hospital’s computer network in 2014. Martin Gottesfeld launched a cyberattack on the hospital to protest the care of a teenager at the center of a high-profile custody battle, and was later sentenced to 10 years in prison. The attack on the hospital and treatment home cost the facilities tens of thousands of dollars and disrupted operations for days.
“The guys and our Boston office – before the Iranian attack – already knew each other well, and that made a difference,” Wray said.
He did not give a specific reason for the planned attack on the hospital, but noted that Iran and other countries are hiring cyber-mercenaries to carry out attacks on their behalf.
In the case of Russia, he said the FBI is “competing” to warn potential targets about hackers’ preparatory actions for devastating attacks. In March, for example, the FBI warned that it has seen an increased interest in energy companies by hackers since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Meanwhile, hackers from China stole more corporate and personal data from Americans than any other nation combined, as part of a broader geopolitical goal of “lying, cheating and stealing”, Wray said.
The conversation took place as criminal gangs continue to grapple with ransomware attacks, a continuing concern for US officials, despite the absence of disturbing intrusions in recent months.
Wray emphasized that private companies should work with the FBI to thwart ransomware gangs and nation-state hackers, adding that building these relationships is the key to success.
“These partnerships allow us to hit our enemies at every point, from victims’ networks to hackers’ own computers,” Wray said.
The FBI and other federal agencies work to reassure attack victims that it is in their best interests to report intrusions and cybercrime. Many companies attacked by ransomware gangs often do not go to the FBI for a variety of reasons.
US Senator Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio and a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, published a report earlier this year criticizing the FBI’s response to some ransomware victims. In two cases, the FBI “prioritized investigative and prosecution efforts to disrupt offensive operations over victims’ needs to protect data and mitigate damage,” the report said.
An unnamed Fortune 500 company told committee staff that the FBI did not offer any “ancillary assistance” in responding to a ransomware attack.
“For example, the FBI offered hostage brokers who appear to have little expertise in responding to ransomware attacks,” the report said.
Still, Wray launched the FBI’s capacity to send a technically-trained agent within the hour to any victimized company – “and we use that a lot.”
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