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Ransomware Victim Healthcare

Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar

Ransomware attack by Meow · Disclosed August 31, 2024 · 🇨🇴 Colombia

icvc.co

Date Disclosed
Aug 31, 2024
2024
Threat Group
Meow
130 total victims
Country
🇨🇴 Colombia
Industry
Healthcare

ThreatAI Analysis

Compiled from this incident record and the threat intelligence profile for Meow. Figures and technique mappings are quoted from the source data, not inferred.

About the Meow group

Meow emerged in 2022 (resurfacing aggressively in 2024), initially operating as a RaaS using the Conti v2 codebase before transitioning to a data-extortion-only model — selling stolen data rather than encrypting files — with a heavy focus on US healthcare and medical research organizations. Meow has listed 145 victims since September 2023.

Incident Analysis

Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar was targeted by Meow ransomware, one of the most active ransomware groups in our database with 130 confirmed victims globally. The attack was disclosed on August 31, 2024, when Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar is based in Colombia , operating in the Healthcare sector. Colombia ranks #25 globally for ransomware attacks, with 122 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 — all factors that increase ransom payment pressure.

Meow 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 — 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: Sep 6, 2026 02:00 UTC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar attacked by ransomware?

Yes. Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar was listed as a victim of the Meow ransomware group on August 31, 2024. The organisation is based in Colombia and operates in the Healthcare sector. The disclosure appeared on the group's dark web leak site.

Which ransomware group attacked Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar?

Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar was attacked by Meow ransomware. Meow is one of the most active ransomware groups, having claimed 130 victims globally. The group typically employs a double-extortion model: encrypting the victim's files and threatening to publish stolen data.

When did the Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar ransomware attack occur?

The ransomware attack on Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar was disclosed on August 31, 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 Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar ransomware attack?

The specific data stolen from Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar 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, Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar likely held patient records, medical data, and personally identifiable information (PII).

How can organisations protect against Meow attacks?

To defend against Meow 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.