MedStar Health turns away patients after likely ‘ransomware’ cyberattack

MedStar Health patients were being turned away or treated without important computer records Tuesday as the health-care giant worked to restore online systems crippled by a virus. By Tuesday evening, MedStar staff could read (but not update) thousands of patient records in its central database, though other systems remained dark, a spokeswoman said. MedStar officials have refused to characterize the attack as “ransomware.” But a number of employees reported seeing a pop-up on their computer screens seeking payment in bitcoins, an Internet currency.