Cyber Attacks in Healthcare: A Wake-Up Call for the Industry

Who should read this?

• For organization– Administrators, CISOs, and IT leaders within healthcare organizations who are responsible for planning, protecting health data, and ensuring operational security.

What happened?

Cyber attacks on healthcare are growing, and the impact is serious. Around 25% of all cyber security incidents in 2024 targeted healthcare. These aren’t just numbers—each breach means personal, sensitive data is exposed, which can put people’s lives in danger.

For example: In the U.S., Community Health Centers (CHC) experienced a major breach that exposed the personal details of 1 million patients. Attackers targeted the organization’s digital systems, compromising sensitive health data. Shortly after, NorthBay Health suffered a breach affecting 569,000 individuals, putting their health information at risk. In addition, UnitedHealth and New York Blood Donation also faced cyber attacks that compromised patient data, raising concerns over the safety of personal health information.

Hospitals, care clinics, and other healthcare organizations are increasingly being targeted by cyber criminals due to the vast amounts of sensitive patient data they manage. These organizations store a wealth of clinical information, medical records, and personal details, making them prime targets, particularly for ransomware attacks.

While people often focus on financial data, health data is even more valuable to attackers. It holds critical personal information that can lead to identity theft or fraud. Unfortunately, many healthcare organizations don’t prioritize protecting this data enough, making them easy targets.

Why does it happen?

1. Weak cyber security measures-Many healthcare organizations still rely on outdated technology or have underfunded IT departments, which makes it harder to protect sensitive data and detect threats early.
2. Attractive target-This sector stores valuable data like health records, financial details, and personal info, which cyber criminals can sell or use for fraud. Healthcare data, in particular, is much more valuable than credit card details because it contains more detailed personal data.
   

What’s the risk?

• Disruptions to healthcare services-Cyber attacks could lock critical systems, disrupting patient care, delaying treatments, or even putting lives at risk. Hackers may also target connected devices in hospitals, like ventilators and dialysis machines, making them inoperable.
• Theft of personal and health data-When cyber criminals steal sensitive data, they can commit identity theft, fraud or sell it on the dark web. This can lead to financial loss and privacy violations.
• Reputational damage-A breach damages a company’s reputation, leading to a loss of trust from customers and patients who may question the organization’s ability to keep data safe.
  

How to stay safe?

1. Develop a response plan– Prepare a clear, actionable crisis response plan for data breaches or cyber attacks. This should include immediate actions, notification procedures, and steps to mitigate damage, ensuring minimal disruption to patient care and privacy.
2. Establish strict access controls– Implement role-based access controls to limit who can access sensitive patient data and systems. Use strong authentication methods to ensure that only authorized personnel can access critical systems.
3. Periodically update software and systems Keep all software, operating systems, and applications up to date with the latest security patches. Periodic updates help prevent attackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities.
4. Monitor third-party vendors– Ensure that third-party vendors who have access to patient data comply with your organization’s cyber security policies. Periodically assess their security practices and limit their access to only necessary systems.

References

1. US healthcare provider data breach impacts 1 million patients
2. Globe Life Ransomware Attack – 850,000+ Users Personal & Health Data Exposed
3. Ransomware attack disrupts New York blood donation giant
4. Critical Condition: How To Protect The Healthcare Industry From Increasingly Frequent—And Harmful—Cyberattacks
5. Industry News 2025 Healthcares Growing Threat Landscape