When COVID-19 was on the rise, ransomware assaults have been proper alongside it. A brand new investigation printed in JAMA Well being Discussion board discovered that ransomware assaults greater than doubled within the final 5 years. Ransomware is software program that’s dangerous to a pc community or server as a result of it prevents customers from accessing their methods and calls for a ransom to revive entry. Within the healthcare trade, ransomware assaults are used to focus on healthcare information, together with protected well being info (“PHI”), and disable or encrypt entry to data. The objective of the cybercriminals is to disrupt healthcare supply, so the group is pressured to pay the cybercriminal for releasing the information.

Simply as publicity to COVID-19 elevated, PHI publicity elevated elevenfold from 1.3 million in 2016 to greater than 16.5 million in 2021. Cyberattacks have, and can proceed to be, prevalent throughout all industries, and the healthcare trade isn’t any exception. Due to this fact, healthcare firms should take proactive measures to forestall cyberattacks, and Boards of Administrators of such organizations have an obligation to analyze choices for cover and put acceptable ones in place. Findings from the investigation present healthcare group staff are susceptible to phishing emails, which is the entry level for ransomware assaults. Correct coaching and enhanced cybersecurity measures are definitely worth the money and time funding to make sure ransomware doesn’t disrupt healthcare supply.

For extra info on how your healthcare observe or facility can shield in opposition to ransomware assaults, please contact Michael T. Burke at mtburke@foxrothschild.com or (612) 607-7124.