Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children takes down websites over ‘unusual activity’

Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children says it has taken down two websites after detecting “potential unusual activity,” the latest disruption to Canada’s largest pediatric hospital weeks after it was hit by a ransomware attack.

SickKids says it pulled the websites proactively Friday night for the Specialty Food Shop and the Infant and Early Mental Health Promotion, both operated by SickKids.

The hospital says it is working to bring them back online, noting the activity appears to be unrelated to a mid-December cyberattack.

The hospital suffered a ransomware attack on Dec. 18 that delayed lab and imaging results, knocked out phone lines and shut down the staff payroll system.

The hospital said Sunday that it is “aware of and assessing” a statement issued online by a ransomware group that includes an offer of a free decryptor to restore systems impacted by the attack.

The hospital says around 60 per cent of its priority systems have been restored, including those that had contributed to diagnostic and treatment delays.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 1, 2023.