CINCINNATI — A network of Ohio hospitals have become the target of a cybersecurity attack.

In a notice Kettering Health officials posted online, it states its network of hospitals are under a cyberattack. It said the attacks forced hospitals to cancel appointments. Patients took to social media concerned their personal information was leaked.

“All of the components that have interplayed in this attack have been seen before," said University of Cincinnati Information & Technology Associate Professor Jacques Bou Abdo.

Bou Abdo has been following the case. He said health care networks are especially vulnerable to cyber attacks in part because of all the places information is stored.

“There are the the imaging systems, there are external sensors, there are the the software used by doctors and nurses. There is the whole web component for for the patients to see their lab results and to communicate with the doctors and to pay their bills," said Bou Abdo. 

Kettering Health did not say what information is at risk in that statement, but did say they had procedures to correct the problem.

As a patient, Bou Abdo said there’s a little you can do outside of what hospitals are already doing, except to try not to get scammed again.

“The way we share information is once we share it, we lose control," said Bou Abdo. 

Kettering Health has also been the target of a phone scam trying to get patients to pay money. They’ve confirmed that’s not them. Bou Abdo said the best way to stop this goes beyond not answering the phone or changing your password.

“Collectively the people can force the the the the federal agencies to or congress to have stricter regulations," he said. 

Kettering Health officials would not give any other information aside from what’s in those online updates. You can find those here.