The unseen danger: cyber security threats to hospitals’ operational systems
Cybercrime has become a serious threat to hospitals: Compared to the previous year, the number of hacker attacks has more than doubled in 2020, according to the German government. One of the most recent examples is the attack on Düsseldorf University Hospital in September 2020, in which hackers infected IT systems with ransomware, shutting down patient care. However, it is not just hospital IT that is targeted by cybercriminals −
Operational Technology (OT) can also become a target for attack. This threat is a blind spot for many hospitals, which are only just beginning to focus on protecting their information technology and medical data. This leaves huge security gaps that can serve as gateways for targeted cyberattacks or even vulnerabilities for accidental collateral infections with malware.
Your expert for questions
Jörg Asma
Partner Cyber Security at PwC Deutschland
Tel.: +49 221 2084-103
E-Mail
Hospital OT systems targeted by cybercriminals
An incident can have serious consequences for hospital operations and patient care, because a failure of the digital infrastructure threatens patient safety and, in an emergency, endangers human lives. This makes it even more important for hospitals to fully understand the risks from cyberspace and protect themselves. In the white paper "The unseen danger: cyber security threats to hospitals' operational systems", experts from the international PwC network describe why hospitals urgently need to address a security strategy for OT systems as well.
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