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Ransomware Victim Healthcare

Change Healthcare - Optum - UnitedHealth

Ransomware attack by Alphv Β· Disclosed February 28, 2024 Β· πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ United States

changehealthcare.com

Date Disclosed
Feb 28, 2024
2024
Threat Group
Alphv
59 total victims
Country
πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ United States
Industry
Healthcare

Incident Analysis

Change Healthcare - Optum - UnitedHealth was targeted by Alphv ransomware, one of the most active ransomware groups in our database with 59 confirmed victims globally. The attack was disclosed on February 28, 2024, when Change Healthcare - Optum - UnitedHealth appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Change Healthcare - Optum - UnitedHealth is based in United States , operating in the Healthcare sector. United States ranks #1 globally for ransomware attacks, with 8,463 victims in our database.

Sector context: Healthcare organisations are high-value ransomware targets because patient data is extremely sensitive, regulatory penalties for breaches are severe, and operational downtime can threaten patient safety β€” all factors that increase ransom payment pressure.

Alphv typically employs a double extortion model: first exfiltrating sensitive data from the victim's systems, then deploying ransomware to encrypt files. Victims face two simultaneous threats β€” paying to restore access and paying to prevent publication of stolen data. The group's leak site publishes victim names and exfiltrated data as leverage.

Data source: This incident record is sourced from public ransomware group leak site disclosures aggregated via the ransomware.live API. Disclosure date reflects when the victim was published on the leak site, which may differ from the initial date of compromise. This platform does not publish or link to stolen data. Last data update: Jun 10, 2026 12:01 UTC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Change Healthcare - Optum - UnitedHealth attacked by ransomware?

Yes. Change Healthcare - Optum - UnitedHealth was listed as a victim of the Alphv ransomware group on February 28, 2024. The organisation is based in United States and operates in the Healthcare sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked Change Healthcare - Optum - UnitedHealth?

Change Healthcare - Optum - UnitedHealth was attacked by Alphv ransomware. Alphv is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 59 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the Change Healthcare - Optum - UnitedHealth ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on Change Healthcare - Optum - UnitedHealth was disclosed on February 28, 2024. This date reflects when the victim was published on the threat group's leak site, which may differ from the actual date of initial compromise.

What data was stolen in the Change Healthcare - Optum - UnitedHealth ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from Change Healthcare - Optum - UnitedHealth has not been independently verified by this platform. Ransomware groups typically exfiltrate data before encrypting systems and use the threat of publication to pressure victims. As a Healthcare organisation, Change Healthcare - Optum - UnitedHealth likely held patient records, medical data, and personally identifiable information (PII).

How can organisations protect against Alphv attacks?

To defend against Alphv and similar threat actors, organisations should: maintain regular offline backups tested for restoration; implement network segmentation to limit lateral movement; deploy multi-factor authentication on all remote access; use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools; conduct regular phishing and security awareness training; and monitor threat intelligence feeds for indicators of compromise (IOCs) associated with active groups.