"Ransomware Attacks on Healthcare Sector Are Driving Increase in Emergency Patient Care"
According to a new report by Microsoft, ransomware attacks on the healthcare sector are rising and putting lives at risk. The researchers, during their study, found that there has been a 300% increase in ransomware attacks on the healthcare sector since 2015, and there has been an increase in stroke and cardiac arrest cases at hospitals receiving patients from nearby facilities paralyzed by such attacks. Microsoft noted that healthcare is one of the top 10 most targeted sectors, and the average payment from a survey of healthcare organizations was $4.4 million. According to Microsoft, Iranian gangs appear to be targeting healthcare organizations the most. Microsft said ransomware attacks on hospitals cause a spillover effect, where unaffected hospitals see a surge in patients, leading to stroke cases rising by 113% and cardiac arrest cases jumping 81%. Survival rates also dropped from those cardiac arrest cases.