AEP, a pharmaceutical wholesaler in Bavaria, Germany, reported a ransomware attack that may impact medicine deliveries to thousands of pharmacies. In a statement on its website, AEP described the cyberattack as “targeted and criminal,” leading to partial encryption of its IT systems.

The attack was detected last week, prompting AEP to implement extensive security measures. With approximately 200 employees, AEP supplies over 6,000 German pharmacies. According to the Bavarian Pharmacists Association, these pharmacies should be able to source products from other suppliers to cover the disruption, as reported by Bayerischer Rundfunk.

The Bavarian State Criminal Police is investigating the incident. AEP is collaborating with external cyber and IT forensics experts to resolve the issue, having immediately severed all external connections and shut down affected systems. Currently, the company is only available via email with limited capacity, as its phone lines remain down.

This incident is one of several recent cyberattacks in the pharmaceutical sector. In February, Cencora faced data theft, and a broad attack on Change Healthcare hindered prescription processing in U.S. pharmacies.