Cyberattacks on hospitals are likely to increase, putting lives at risk, experts warn

FILE – Lurie Children’s Hospital sign is seen at the hospital as patients walk in, Feb. 5, 2024, in Skokie, Ill. A cyberattack on a renowned children’s hospital in Chicago has left some parents scrambling. They’ve had to reschedule surgeries on babies or scramble to get prescriptions filled for their sick kids. Experts warn this is just the start of a growing trend of foreign criminals attacking U.S. hospitals for hefty ransoms.

“Unfortunately, the unintended consequence of the use of all this network and internet connected technology is it expanded our digital attack surface,” Riggi said. “So, many more opportunities for bad guys to penetrate our networks.” Brett Callow, an analyst for the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, counted 46 cyberattacks on hospitals last year, compared with 25 in 2022. The paydays for criminals have gotten bigger too, with the average payout jumping from $5,000 in 2018 to $1.5 million last year.

The Department of Health and Human Services said it will rewrite the rules for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act -– the federal law commonly called HIPPA that requires insurers and health systems to protect patient information – to include new provisions that address cybersecurity later this year.

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