Growing number of ransomware attacks on hospitals could mean life or death for patients
(InvestigateTV) — The healthcare industry faces a ransomware epidemic that industry leaders say is putting lives at risk.
An analysis by a cybersecurity firm found that 46 hospital systems suffered ransomware attacks in 2023, up from just 25 the previous year.
Dozens of hospitals were directly impacted and experienced disruption due to the lack of access to IT systems and patient data.
Ransomware, according to IBM, is a type of malware that holds a victim’s data or device hostage, threatening to keep it locked or worse unless the victim pays the attacker.
It’s not just computer systems that are threatened. Health news website STAT says hospitals are forced to treat fewer patients during ransomware attacks, and they provide less care for the patients they do treat.
Reporter Kristin Crowley digs into the surge in ransomware attacks against health systems and what’s being done to keep you safe.
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