Issue of Life and Death: Cyberattacks on healthcare infrastructure increase

There has been an alarming rise in cyberattacks on the global healthcare infrastructure. The surge is endangering patient safety and destabilising health systems. On Friday, the UN Security Council discussed strategies to counter the problem.

France, Japan, Malta, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, the UK and the US had called for the meeting. Briefing ambassadors, the head of the UN health agency emphasised the serious impact of cyberattacks on hospitals and healthcare services across the globe.

He noted the need for urgent and collective action to address the issue. Over the years, cyberattacks have certainly surged in number and sophistication. The price tag has reached tens of billions of dollars annually.

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Cyberattacks on healthcare are not just issues of security

More than one-third of responding health institutions reported at least one ransomare attack in 2020, and a third among them reported paying a ransom, according to a 2021 survey. In such attack, a malicious actor locks files, demanding payment in return for access.

Cyberattacks on health facilities are not just issues of security and confidentiality, they can be issues of life and death, according to the head of the UN health agency. These attacks cause disruption and also undermine trust in infrastructure.

The digital transformation of healthcare, accompanied by the high value of health data, has made the sector one of the most important targets for cybercriminals. The reality is that even if ransoms are paid, access to encrypted data is not guaranteed.