The UMMC Ransomware Attack: What Happened When Mississippi's Largest Hospital Went Dark

On February 19, 2026, a ransomware attack against the University of Mississippi Medical Center rendered Epic and multiple IT systems inoperable, forced the closure of 35 statewide clinics, disrupted phone and web services, and prompted an immediate federal response (FBI, CISA). The report explains attacker motives (double-extortion aimed at demographic/billing data), notes UMMC's continuity via downtime procedures, places the incident in a pattern of repeated Mississippi hospital ransomware events, and highlights regulatory and structural vulnerabilities that amplify healthcare risk.