By By Dan Hounsell

In 2020, healthcare data breaches totaled 599, up 55.1 percent from 2019 as hackers took advantage of the perfect storm of new technologies being implemented at speed and staff efforts focused on the pandemic. 

Azi Cohen, CEO of IOT security firm CyberMDX, says that by comparison to the finance sector, healthcare organisations often are more vulnerable to cyber attacks, according to Healthcare Global. The motivation of the hackers is financial. A health record contains Social Security and driver’s license numbers, employer details, insurance details, and prescription data. The main use is not to exploit individual data but to launch a ransomware attack, where hackers hold the patient data hostage until the hospital pays the ransom.

Cohen says one of the best ways to prevent cyber attacks lies with the hospital staff. All personnel must have a basic understanding of proper cybersecurity protocols, and hospitals should invest in employee training around what to do with potentially suspicious emails. They also must ensure their medical terminals are locked when not in use.