Two-thirds of healthcare organizations hit by ransomware in past year: survey

Dive Transient:

Restoration from ransomware assaults is taking longer  — typically greater than a month  —  as assaults enhance towards the healthcare trade, in line with a survey printed final week by cybersecurity agency Sophos. 
About two-thirds of respondents mentioned they have been hit by a ransomware assault previously 12 months, up from 60% the 12 months prior. Simply 34% mentioned they have been hit by a ransomware assault in Sophos’ 2021 report. 
Restoration instances have additionally elevated. Solely 22% of victims totally recovered from the assault in lower than every week, in contrast with 47% within the 12 months prior. Practically 40% took greater than a month to return to regular operations.

Dive Perception: 

Elevated ransomware assaults within the healthcare sector come as different industries face fewer incidents, in line with the survey, which included greater than 400 respondents from healthcare organizations.

Practically 60% of respondents from all sectors reported an assault within the 2024 survey, down from 66% within the earlier two years. Healthcare has the second-highest fee of ransomware assaults globally, second solely to federal governments, in line with the report. 

“The extremely delicate nature of healthcare info and want for accessibility will at all times place a bullseye on the healthcare trade from cybercriminals,” John Shier, discipline chief know-how officer at Sophos, mentioned in an announcement. “Sadly, cybercriminals have realized that few healthcare organizations are ready to reply to these assaults, demonstrated by more and more longer restoration instances.”

When ransomware assaults succeed, they will have severe penalties for healthcare organizations. On common, practically 60% of a company’s computer systems are affected by an assault, in line with the survey.

Practically all corporations hit by a ransomware assault previously 12 months mentioned cybercriminals tried to compromise their backed up information, and about two-thirds of organizations mentioned they have been profitable.

With out backups, outcomes have been typically worse — organizations reported larger ransom calls for, they usually have been extra prone to shell out cash to return entry to their information. Median general restoration prices doubled, in line with the survey. 

Although practically all organizations bought their information again, about half mentioned they ended up paying a ransom — which the FBI advises organizations to keep away from, given it may encourage cybercriminals and incentivize extra assaults. 

Paying a ransom can be dear. The median cost for ransomware assaults was $1.5 million, in line with the Sophos survey. Victims additionally hardly ever paid the preliminary quantity demanded by cybercriminals; practically 60% paid greater than the primary demand.

Patching software program vulnerabilities is essential for healthcare organizations to keep away from ransomware assaults, Sophos mentioned. However hospitals typically wrestle to remain on high of software program updates and patches, which may require them to take units offline, consultants say. 

Healthcare corporations ought to use multi-factor authentication, which makes use of a second methodology to confirm a person’s id, and practice staff to detect malicious emails or phishing makes an attempt to assist forestall incidents, the cybersecurity agency added.