Iran-linked group has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on Stryker, one of the largest medical device manufacturers globally

A significant cyber disruption impacted medical technology leader Stryker early Wednesday, prompting the company to disable portions of its digital network while investigators sought to comprehend the extent of the breach.

A hacking group associated with Iran, identified as Handala, subsequently took responsibility for the incident. Cybersecurity experts suggest that this could be among the most significant cyberattacks aimed at a prominent U.S. medical technology firm.

Employees and contractors have reported extensive outages impacting devices linked to Stryker’s systems. The Wall Street Journal reports that the group’s logo made a brief appearance on internal login pages, while company-issued cellphones, laptops, and other remote devices operating on Microsoft Windows were erased.

Stryker has acknowledged a significant network disruption linked to a cyberattack.

“Stryker is currently facing a global network disruption within our Microsoft environment due to a cyberattack,” stated a company spokesperson. “There is no evidence of ransomware or malware, and we are confident that the incident is under control.”

The spokesperson refrained from naming a suspected perpetrator. Calls to the company’s headquarters in Portage, Michigan, were answered by an automated message indicating that the building was experiencing an emergency.

Handala shared a statement on its Telegram channel asserting that the attack was a response to a strike on a school in Minab, Iran, which it claimed resulted in the deaths of children. The group additionally referenced “ongoing cyber assaults” as a component of its rationale.

Cybersecurity researchers have established connections between Handala and Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security. The group surfaced in 2023 and has assumed responsibility for various cyber incidents aimed at Israeli organizations and other regional entities.

According to Thomas Holt, a cybercrime expert at Michigan State University, the extent of the disruption seems to be quite unusual.

“There are numerous examples of these types of attacks,” Holt stated, “but none that have such an extreme global impact.”

Stryker, a manufacturer of surgical equipment, implants, and hospital technology utilized around the globe, reported approximately $25 billion in revenue last year and employs around 56,000 individuals worldwide. The company’s shares declined by over 3 percent during Wednesday’s trading after reports of the cyberattack emerged.