Why Hackers Have Their Sights Set on Healthcare

Why Hackers Have Their Sights Set on Healthcare

We see it time and time again, the headlines splashed along newspapers and email newsletters that a hospital or its network of offices have been hit in a cybersecurity attack. Now more than ever, we continue to expect that attackers will target nursing homes, doctors’ offices, and other medical facilities due to the immense pressure the industry is facing to modernize. While the advancements in technology are vital to ensuring better patient care, they also open doors for threat actors everywhere. The interconnectedness that comes with tying technology together at hospitals is also contributing to their vulnerability.

This creates a unique opportunity for MSPs and IT professionals to help the healthcare industry modernize their backup systems and overall security. Specifically, these teams must work closely with the healthcare IT teams to create an integrated approach to security, protecting critical patient information from threat actors looking for an easy target.

COVID-19 Ushered in a New Virtual Era

The pandemic brought with it a unique set of challenges that may seem obvious, but created a ripple effect that changed the way we view virtual life. With millions of people switching to remote work, a rise in telehealth and more; we saw that individuals became more comfortable sharing their information online – whether that was out of necessity or desire.

That influx was difficult to manage for the healthcare industry though – where systems were outdated, alongside budget and time constraints to update the legacy technology in place. According to a report in Security Magazine, there are three reasons why healthcare organizations experienced a spike in attacks: a high probability to pay ransom, the value of patient records, and often inadequate security. Patient data remains a prime target for threat actors who recognize its value – especially as it’s sold on the dark web.

Hackers Found Their Mark on Tech Targets

In the chaos that stemmed from the pivot to virtual life, hackers had easy pickings for vulnerabilities to exploit. Email phishing scams were one of the most prevalent opportunities for threat actors looking for a quick in. Whether it stems from a lack of training, someone not paying close attention or simply a mistake – phishing remains, even now, a major component of successful breaches. In an instant, a hacker gleans access to an overwhelming amount of individual and/or enterprise data. Given the antiquated systems in place, hospitals often don’t have the automatic tools to detect and mitigate phishing emails before they reach an individual’s inbox.

Another opportunity for hackers targeting healthcare became clear immediately – medical devices. In the same way that consumers have dozens of appliances or devices that need to be connected to their home Wi-Fi – so do hospitals and doctor’s offices. With attackers finding ways to breach network servers through medical devices that are connected, patient data is much easier to exploit. MRI machines and heart rate monitors are listed as weak links in the cyber defense of many hospitals.

Mitigating the Threat

With so many opportunities for hackers to exploit patients, healthcare professionals and hospital systems; it’s more crucial than ever for organizations to invest the time and effort into improving their security posture. This is especially true when weighing the consequences of a breach.

Not only are breaches expensive to fix, but with strict Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules – fines can be levied against organizations when HIPAA is violated. This personal health information (PHI) that is so heavily protected is both enticing for threat actors, but also gives them the upper hand in ransomware demand situations.

As the healthcare industry has proven to be a lucrative target for threat actors in recent years, we can expect there to continue to be an increase in breaches and ransomware attacks. That said, this is a prime opportunity for security professionals and MSPs to band together to mitigate these threat actors and their methods of attack. In knowing the most effective and often used attack style, healthcare providers can help support themselves and their stakeholders by implementing the right tools, as well as offering the proper training for their employees and patients to avoid exploitation via phishing emails or multi-factor authentication (MFA) attacks.

About the Author

Katya Ivanova is the chief sales officer at Acronis.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities