UnitedHealth confirms ransomware gang behind Change Healthcare hack amid ongoing pharmacy outages

A ransomware attack attributed to the ALPHV/BlackCat cybercrime gang has disrupted Change Healthcare (a UnitedHealth/Optum subsidiary), causing widespread pharmacy and hospital system outages across the U.S.; the group claimed to have stolen sensitive patient data, investigators and third-party responders (Mandiant, Palo Alto Networks) are engaged, and the incident is under active investigation with impacts to prescription processing, billing, and military pharmacies.