Do cybercriminals and patients have something in common? Certainly, because they both share a common interest in patients’ data.
As one of the most critical public service areas, the health sector holds sensitive and valuable data. This has not escaped the attention of cybercriminals, who are aware that data leakage or device blocking can lead to paralysis in facility operations. This, in turn, creates pressure on managers and greatly increases their willingness to accept the demands of criminals.
Cyber security experts emphasize that a costly outcome of a cyber attack can be financial loss. This is due to penalties for data breaches. It also has to do with the payment of compensation to patients. It is worth mentioning that criminals can directly address the people whose data they have to threatened to make public.
The increased interest of cybercriminals in the health sector is confirmed by data. Last September, the number of attacks increased by more than 50 percent compared to the same time in 2020. Averaged results indicate that every week criminals launch 750 attacks. The introduction of mandatory electronic medical record keeping and exchange is undoubtedly behind such an increase in activity.
The frequency of attacks on healthcare facilities is due to the fact that institutions do not have adequate IT resources. In turn, employees are not always aware of threats. However, the modus operandi of cybercriminals, in relation to the healthcare sector, are especially ransomware attacks. Their consequence is the blockage of equipment operation or encryption of data on it.
