On 10 February 2024, a ransomware group named BackMyData hacked into a key Romanian medical system called Hippocrates. The hackers’ goal was simple: scramble files and demand €160,000 in bitcoin.
In just a few hours, more than 100 hospitals heard the alert: disconnect from the internet, now. The move, made by Dan Cimpean, the head of Romania’s cyber‑security centre, was the only way to stop the malware from spreading across the country.
With computers offline, doctors and nurses had to throw out tablets, keyboards and cloud‑based tools. They turned instead to pens, paper and a new “paper‑based Hippocrates” that let them record lab tests, scans and prescriptions by hand.
The decision had a major cost: patients had to fill out paper forms, waiting rooms were full, and some patients took their frustration out on medical staff. But nobody was harmed – the offline strategy kept critical surgeries running while the attackers were scrubbed out.
Within five days, hospitals were back online and most patients were treated normally, thanks to robust backups that IT teams could restore. The incident highlighted the danger of digitalising every hospital system without strong fire‑walls and the power of coordinated crisis communication, which warned people not to push their loved ones into hospitals unnecessarily.
Cyber‑security experts have warned that as more hospitals digitise, the risk grows. In Greece, the UK, and the U.S., similar attacks have even caused patient deaths or prompted huge ransom payments. Romania’s case shows that the best defence is not only technology – but also quick decision‑making, teamwork, and the ability to get back to paper whenever the digital world fails.
