Thursday, December 12, 2019
Recent months have seen a wave of ransomware attacks in the US healthcare industry, many involving a sophisticated strain of malware called Ryuk. To protect themselves, healthcare providers should review OCR’s recent guidance on preventing, mitigating and responding to ransomware attacks, which we outline here.
In Depth
Recently, an alarming number of ransomware attacks have targeted and disrupted the US healthcare industry. Many of the attacks involve a sophisticated and destructive strain of malware called Ryuk. Ransomware attacks can prevent healthcare providers—ranging from large health systems to small medical practices—from accessing critical data needed to treat patients and maintain normal business operations. Consequently, ransomware attacks can have potentially devastating effects on patient safety and cause financial and reputational damage to afflicted healthcare providers. Healthcare providers should ensure that their information security teams are well positioned to protect and defend their organizations against such attacks.
What Is a Ransomware Attack?
Cyber-attackers use ransomware, a type of malware (i.e., malicious software), in an attempt to extort an organization by freezing access to its own data. Typically, ransomware locks down electronic data files by encrypting them with a decryption key known only to the attacker. The attacker then demands the organization pay a ransom in exchange for the decryption key.
Ransomware often enters an organization when a user clicks a malicious link or downloads an infected file. According to the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), ransomware “typically spreads through phishing emails or by unknowingly visiting an infected website.” It can be challenging for an organiz ..
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