'A crisis of your creating': UnitedHealth CEO grilled by Congress on cyberattack

During a congressional hearing on May 1, UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty faced intensive questioning regarding a significant cyberattack impacting Change Healthcare, a company they acquired in 2022. The cyberattack, deemed one of the most disruptive in U.S. healthcare history, involved data theft and ransomware facilitated by poor security measures, particularly the absence of multifactor authentication. Witty apologized for the incident and committed to improving security protocols, but faced criticism for the delay in implementing essential security features and for the magnitude of support extended to affected providers. In defense, Witty cited the rapid containment efforts post-attack and the financial assistance provided to healthcare providers. Additionally, he did not provide specific details about the total affected population during later House subcommittee hearings, citing the ongoing investigation.

Opens on Becker's Hospital Review