TTUHSC continues investigation into recent cyber security event

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is investigating a recent cyber security event that has led to a temporary disruption of its computer systems.

According to Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center officials, the security breach did impact online data like patient and staff online functions and application processes for students.

Texas Tech Health University Health Sciences Center says, pharmacies and clinics will remain open, but the attack has made an impact on students' coursework and clinic rotations.

“Any type of compromise can cause a disruption in any one of those places. It just depends on how deep the compromise or the incident or event goes into those systems, how mature kind of those organizations are at handling these types of attacks, as to how far that compromise can affect the customers, the general public, the people who work there,” said Christopher George, Amarillo College’s Cyber Security instructor.

According to George, severe cyber attacks, on average, occur 190 days before alerting an organization.

“Whenever an attack or you know there‘s indicators of compromise, so a lot of time organizations don’t even know when they are compromised,” said George.

The university did say they‘re unsure if any students’ or patients' personal information has been compromised while it remains under investigation.