Scale of Healthcare Cyber attacks Increase as Criminals Change Tactics, Report Finds

During H1 2023, healthcare providers reported a notable 15% reduction in data breaches compared to the preceding H2 2022. This emerging trend may potentially lead to a decrease in the total number of breaches experienced within the current year when compared to the previous three years. However, caution is warranted as the dynamic tactics of cybercriminals continue to evolve, presenting an ongoing challenge to the healthcare sector's cybersecurity defenses. One particularly concerning facet of this threat landscape is the significant impact of attacks targeting third-party business associates. Disturbingly, these attacks accounted for a substantial 50% of the total 40 million exposed healthcare records within the current year. On average, each of these attacks resulted in the compromise of over 304,000 records. This alarming statistic underscores the critical importance of fortifying supply chain security within the healthcare ecosystem. Vigilance and proactive measures remain pivotal in safeguarding sensitive healthcare information from continually emerging cyber threats.