Boston Scientific confirms global operational disruption following cyberattack
The US medical device giant has disclosed that a cyberattack is limiting access to critical IT systems, affecting its ability to ship and process orders while the investigation continues.
Boston Scientific, a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of implanted medical devices, has confirmed that a cyberattack is causing a “global disruption” to its operations. The company disclosed the incident in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, stating that it began experiencing disruptions and limitations of access to critical IT systems and business applications on Tuesday.
The operational impact has already affected the company’s ability to ship and process orders. While the scale of the disruption is significant, Boston Scientific has not yet clarified whether the incident extends to the medical devices and implants currently in patients, nor has it confirmed if any customer data was exfiltrated.
The physical impact of the digital breach was felt in Europe, where thousands of staff at the company’s campus in Cork, Ireland, were sent home after network communications were cut across the organisation. Local media reported the mass departure, highlighting the immediate operational halt caused by the loss of connectivity.
Boston Scientific treats approximately 48 million patients a year, according to its website. The company’s public statement noted that its investigation is ongoing and that a timeline for restoring its systems is not yet known. Spokesperson Chanel Hastings declined to comment on specific steps patients should take or the nature of the incident when contacted by reporters.
The incident places Boston Scientific in the company of other major health technology firms that have faced similar disruptions recently. Peers such as Abbott Laboratories and Medtronic have also been targeted in recent weeks, while Stryker was hit earlier this year by Iranian-backed hackers who abused a Microsoft-managed portal to wipe employee devices.
Public internet records indicate that Boston Scientific relies largely on Microsoft and Amazon Web Services for its corporate infrastructure. However, the company has not specified whether these providers are the source of the breach, leaving the specific cause of the attack under investigation.
