Singing River Health System said it briefly shut down select computer systems, including internet access, after detecting a potential “cyber incident” Tuesday, temporarily disrupting patient access to its MyChart portal.
In a Facebook post issued around 9 a.m. Dec. 23, the Mississippi Gulf Coast health system said it was experiencing “temporary system issues,” including intermittent phone disruptions, but that clinics and hospitals remained open and procedures would continue as scheduled.
The system “proactively shut down select systems, including internet access,” after identifying the issue “in its early stages,” according to a statement reported by WLOX. Singing River said it acted “out of an abundance of caution” while it worked to “assess and validate any potential threat.”
In an update posted around 6:45 p.m., Singing River said MyChart access had been “fully restored,” and patients could log in and use all features as normal.
Singing River said its hospitals and clinics “continue to operate safely and effectively” as the investigation continues.
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The system has not said what prompted the shutdown, whether unauthorized access was confirmed, or whether data was accessed or taken. WLOX reported operations were restored after the shutdown. Singing River did not respond to a request for comment.
Hospitals across the U.S. have increasingly taken systems offline while investigating suspected cyber events that can disrupt patient communications. In Ohio, Kettering Health said a ransomware attack in May disrupted its MyChart portal as it dealt with a broader technology outage.
Mississippi has drawn less sustained national attention for disruptive cyberattacks than some states, though officials have warned the risk remains significant. The state auditor’s office has pointed to recent incidents that disrupted public services, including a 2023 ransomware attack affecting Hinds County and a late-2024 breach that disrupted the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District.
Singing River operates hospitals in Ocean Springs, Pascagoula and Gulfport along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, along with clinics and other outpatient services. The system previously disclosed a “malicious and sophisticated ransomware attack” in August 2023 and said unauthorized access occurred over multiple days. It also shut down its network during an attempted intrusion in 2018, according to healthcare IT trade reporting.
