French hospital Center Hospitalier Sud Francilien (CHSF), which services an area of 600,000 people, has suffered a cyberattack that disrupted its IT systems forcing the institution to refer patients to other healthcare facilities, bar emergency cases.

Due to the disruption of the main computer systems, including those running business software, the storage systems (in particular medical imaging), and the information system relating to patient admissions, the hospital staff has had to resort to using pen and paper to keep track of patients.

In its statement CHSF did not name the culprit responsible, but local media reported that the LockBit ransomware gang may have been the perpetrator behind the hack. The ransomware operators are said to have demanded a $10 million ransom from the facility.

LockBit itself has recently been victim of a DDoS attack, which demanded the ransomware operators delete data stolen in the June ransomware attack on security service provider Entrust. Following the hack the group announced that they will employ a more aggressive strategy that would involve triple extortion (an extension of the double extortion that seeks to put additional pressure on a victim) and that they are recruiting new members to the team.