Industry — Data Breach
Executive Summary
UMMC continues investigating cyberattack and recovering from impact.: In February, the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) announced it was closing dozens of its clinics statewide after a cyberattack disrupted multiple IT systems and cut off access to its Epic EMR platform, which contained patients’ medical records. The attack resulted...
What Happened
In February 2026, the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) experienced a cyberattack that disrupted multiple IT systems and blocked access to its Epic electronic medical records platform. The attack forced UMMC to close dozens of clinics statewide and resulted in a nine-day suspension of services, during which most outpatient clinics across the state were closed. As of March 2026, UMMC continues to investigate the incident and recover from its impact.
Who Is Affected
Patients of UMMC across Mississippi were affected by the nine-day clinic closures and service suspensions. The cyberattack cut off access to patients' medical records stored in the Epic EMR system, potentially impacting continuity of care for individuals who rely on UMMC's statewide network of outpatient clinics.
Why It Matters
This incident demonstrates how cyberattacks on healthcare systems can cause widespread service disruptions that extend beyond data exposure to physically prevent patients from accessing medical care. The attack on a major academic medical center serving an entire state highlights the vulnerability of healthcare infrastructure and the real-world consequences when electronic medical record systems become inaccessible.
AI-Assisted
Event summaries are generated by Claude AI from verified sources and reviewed by humans before publication.