Incident Response
UNM Health shuts clinics and diverts patients after cyber incident
A cyber incident forced UNM Health to close clinics, divert ambulances, and cancel appointments, disrupting care at New Mexico’s only Level 1 trauma centre. The event is under investigation.
Ross GrantUpdated 2 min read
The short version
UNM Health, which runs New Mexico’s main trauma hospital, had to close clinics and send ambulances elsewhere after a cyber incident. Patients and staff could not access care or attend classes for a day. The hospital says it is investigating, and warns people to watch out for scam emails. It is not clear if any personal data was stolen.
What happened?
A cyber incident on 26 October 2026 forced the University of New Mexico Health System (UNM Health) to divert ambulances, cancel appointments, and close clinics. The event disrupted care at New Mexico’s only Level 1 trauma centre. UNM Health said some end-user devices were affected, but core systems were not compromised. The incident is under criminal investigation, and the hospital warned about possible phishing attempts. Only Security Affairs has reported this so far.
Who is affected
On 26 October 2026, the University of New Mexico Health System (UNM Health) was hit by a cybersecurity incident that affected its main Albuquerque hospital, more than 30 clinics, and its Health Sciences Center. UNM Health runs New Mexico’s only Level 1 trauma centre, which handles the state’s most serious injuries. The incident forced the hospital to divert all ambulance traffic to other facilities and cancel all appointments, including outpatient surgeries, for the rest of the day. Medical, nursing, pharmacy, and population health students also lost a day of instruction as classes were cancelled and nonessential employees were sent home. According to Security Affairs (opens in a new tab), other local providers, including Presbyterian Healthcare Services and Lovelace Health System, took on extra patients during the disruption.
How the attack worked
UNM Health said its IT security teams identified the threat around 11 a.m. and began containment work. The incident affected some end-user devices, but according to the organisation, it did not reach core systems or servers. Leadership activated an Emergency Operations Center, brought in outside support, and notified state and federal law enforcement. From 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., the hospital stopped accepting new patients while teams worked to protect the network. System outages required the suspension of outpatient surgeries and appointments for the rest of the day. UNM Health began restoring systems by Monday afternoon, and by the following day, normal operations resumed.
The response
UNM Health communicated with patients and the public, urging them not to come to its facilities and to delay non-emergency care. The hospital warned people to be alert for phishing and fraud attempts, as attackers sometimes use news of a breach to trick victims into giving up sensitive information. The incident is under criminal investigation, and state and federal law enforcement have been notified. Employees reported messages claiming that patient, student, and staff data had been stolen, but UNM Health has not confirmed any data theft.
What you should do
UNM Health advised patients and staff to be cautious of phishing attempts. Phishing is when attackers send fake emails or messages to trick people into revealing personal information or clicking malicious links. Anyone affected should be wary of unexpected messages claiming to be from the hospital, especially those asking for sensitive information or urging urgent action. If in doubt, contact the hospital directly using official contact details.
No primary source or official statement from UNM Health or law enforcement has been published. Only Security Affairs (opens in a new tab) has reported this incident so far. UNM Health has not confirmed whether any data was stolen.
Claimed vs confirmed
- Unconfirmed
Patient, student, and staff data was stolen.
Employees reported messages claiming data theft, but UNM Health has not confirmed this.
Why it matters
Disruptions at a major trauma centre can put lives at risk and strain other hospitals. The incident shows how cyberattacks can have real-world effects on healthcare, not just IT systems. It also highlights the risk of phishing scams after a breach.
Key points
- UNM Health had to divert ambulances and cancel all appointments for a day.
- The incident affected New Mexico’s only Level 1 trauma centre.
- Some end-user devices were hit, but core systems were not compromised, according to the hospital.
- The event is under criminal investigation, and data theft is unconfirmed.
- Patients and staff are warned to watch for phishing scams.
Sources
Security Affairs
Reference
