By Julia Vann
Ransomware attacks healthcare more than any other industry. According to HIPAA Journal, the healthcare industry faces 37% of all ransomware attacks. The second most targeted industry doesn’t even triple that with a whopping 11%.
While overall ransomware attacks have gone down in the last couple of years, new reports from Beazley Breach Response show attacks have increased in August and September. It’s too early to tell if this is a new trend or just a small fluke. Regardless, the fact still remains that healthcare industries are the primary target of cyber attacks.
It’s not difficult to see why. Healthcare industries are a hotspot for personal information. This isn’t to say they’re easy targets, but with new breach reports every month, it’s still important for healthcare providers to remain vigilant.
Keep up to date with cyber security, frequently change passwords, and most importantly, don’t open suspicious emails. Mistakes happen and cyber attacks will still find their way through the cracks on occasion, but it’s important for healthcare industries to do their absolute best to protect not only themselves, but their customers as well.
Never assume you won’t be the target of a cyber attack, especially ransomware. According to HIPAA Journal:
“It stands to reason that large organizations are an attractive target for cybercriminals. Large numbers of encrypted devices mean higher ransom demands can be issued. Large organizations are also more likely to have funds available to pay large ransoms, although they also have more resources to devote to cybersecurity.”
With that being said, smaller to medium sized companies are still more likely to be victims of these attacks, since they’re typically easier to infiltrate.
Even with less cybersecurity, there are still plenty of ways to protect your business. Make sure not to open or download anything suspicious, and if you suspect a breach, tell someone immediately. Waiting won’t make it any better.
To learn more about HIPAA compliance, visit the American Medical Compliance website today!
