Boston Scientific hit by cyberattack disrupting operations and order processing
Boston Scientific disclosed a cyberattack causing global disruptions to its IT systems and business applications, affecting its ability to ship and process orders. The company has not confirmed whether patient data or medical devices are impacted. The investigation is ongoing, and no timeline for restoration has been provided.
The SEC filing indicates the disruption began Tuesday, affecting systems essential to daily operations. Boston Scientific's spokesperson declined to specify whether patients with implanted devices face any risk or what steps they should take. The company serves roughly 48 million patients annually, though the filing does not identify which product lines are impacted.
Reports from Ireland describe thousands of employees at Boston Scientific's Cork campus being sent home after network communications were severed. Public infrastructure records show the company relies heavily on Microsoft and Amazon Web Services. Boston Scientific joins Abbott, Medtronic, and Stryker as medical device makers targeted this year, with the Stryker incident involving Iranian-backed hackers wiping employee devices via a Microsoft management portal.
This attack could disrupt the supply chain for critical medical devices like pacemakers and defibrillators, potentially delaying hospital procedures and patient care. Healthcare providers may face inventory shortages if order processing remains offline. While no patient data compromise has been confirmed, the incident may heighten concerns about the security of connected medical infrastructure. The pattern of recent attacks on major device makers suggests the sector has become a recurring target, which could prompt regulators and hospitals to reassess vendor security requirements.