The healthcare sector in the United States has suffered losses of $78 billion due to ransomware attacks, according to a report by Comparitech. These losses are primarily due to significant downtime experienced by healthcare companies between 2016 and 2023. Over this period, there were 539 reported ransomware incidents, affecting 9,860 hospitals and clinics, and compromising records of 52 million patients. The average duration of downtime increased from 14 days in 2016 to 19 days in 2023, resulting in a cumulative downtime of 6,350 days or roughly 18 years across all affected companies.
In 2023, ransomware attacks have evolved, with hackers adopting new tactics such as double and triple extortion techniques. They are now even wiping out customer data if their demands are not met. Additionally, hackers are persuading employees of targeted companies to surrender their login credentials, giving them control over the entire network. These developments highlight the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures and vigilance within the healthcare sector to combat the growing ransomware threat.
Key Points:
1. The healthcare sector in the US has suffered losses of $78 billion due to ransomware attacks.
2. Between 2016 and 2023, there were 539 reported ransomware incidents, affecting 9,860 hospitals and clinics.
3. The compromise of records belonging to over 52 million patients has been reported.
4. The average duration of downtime increased from 14 days in 2016 to 19 days in 2023.
5. Hackers are adopting new tactics such as double and triple extortion techniques.
6. Cyber criminals are now persuading employees to surrender their login credentials, giving them control over the entire network.