How Can We Keep Our Patients Safe? Managing Cyber-Threats Post-Pandemic

ABSTRACT

Attacks on the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the Newfoundland and Labrador health system in 2021, Toronto Sick Kids Hospital in December 2022, and Ross Memorial Hospital in February 2023 are just some examples of recent cyberattacks on healthcare targets (CBC News, 2021;Mosleh, 2023;Solomon, 2022). [...]while LockBit apologized for the attack on Toronto Sick Kids Hospital in December (Mosleh, 2023), the increase in frequency and scope of ransomware attacks on our healthcare system is a national concern. Remote work often involves using personal devices and unsecured networks, which can make it easier for cybercriminals to gain access to hospital networks, especially if staff have poor password hygiene. [...]hospitals need an incident response plan in place to minimize the impact of a ransomware attack and prevent disruption to patient care in the event of a breach. Attacks on the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the Newfoundland and Labrador health system in 2021, Toronto Sick Kids Hospital in December 2022, and Ross Memorial Hospital in February 2023 are just some examples of recent cyberattacks on healthcare targets (CBC News, 2021;Mosleh, 2023;Solomon, 2022). [...]while LockBit apologized for the attack on Toronto Sick Kids Hospital in December (Mosleh, 2023), the increase in frequency and scope of ransomware attacks on our healthcare system is a national concern. Remote work often involves using personal devices and unsecured networks, which can make it easier for cybercriminals to gain access to hospital networks, especially if staff have poor password hygiene. [...]hospitals need an incident response plan in place to minimize the impact of a ransomware attack and prevent disruption to patient care in the event of a breach.