Communications of the ACM
As Coronavirus Cases Surge, So Do Cyberattacks Against the Healthcare Sector
Cybersecurity firm Check Point calculated a 45% increase in cyberattacks against the global healthcare sector since November.
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Cybersecurity firm Check Point calculated a 45% increase in cyberattacks against the global healthcare sector since November, versus a 22% uptick against all worldwide industries over the same period.
Attack vectors include distributed denial-of-service hacks, social engineering, botnets, phishing, and ransomware. The last is particularly troubling, and Check Point researchers said the Ryuk ransomware strain is currently the most popular malware in such exploits, followed by Sodinokibi.
Overall, an average 626 attacks against healthcare organizations were recorded weekly in November, compared with 430 in October; most attacks are concentrated in Central Europe, rising 145% in the past two months, followed by East Asia, Latin America, and the rest of Europe and North America.
Check Point cited financial reasons behind the increase in cyberattacks, with malefactors hoping to profit from the Covid-19 pandemic's global turmoil.
From ZDNet
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