Introduction
It has been a tough few days for Johnson Memorial Hospital. The John Memorial Cyber Attack forced doctors to use fax machines and scanners to convert their paperwork into digital form this morning. On Saturday, October 2nd, hackers hit the hospital with a cyberattack that left many of its electronic medical records unavailable, and patients had to come in for appointments with paper-based records.
The attack left many wondering if it would be possible to restore all systems before Monday when the hospital reopens following the Columbus Day holiday weekend. Fortunately, doctors have reported that the hospital restored or replaced most of their equipment. However, there are still some ongoing issues, meaning they are not yet fully operational. Those who have had any procedures done at Johnson’s since September 26th will need to bring copies of their results with them for now.
Increasing Cyber-Attacks in Healthcare
The attack was the latest in a string of cyber-attack which has seen several hospitals hit by ransomware (Johnson Memorial included) and many other health care systems attacked indirectly by malware that stole personal information from patients.
What is a Cyber Attack such as the Johnson Memorial Cyber Attack?
A cyberattack is a type of malicious code that hackers design to disable or disrupt the target. A hacker, government, or group of people can launch a cyberattack. It can also be the result of an error, accident, or malfunction in a computer system. Some devices are vulnerable to cyber-attacks while others are not. A cyber-attack targets a company’s, personal information and leaves behind a digital footprint that may lead back to the attacker.
Why are Cyber Attacks Increasing?
In recent years, more healthcare systems have come under attack from hackers. Healthcare systems target healthcare data as being a valuable commodity, as more people are trying to figure out ways to monetize their medical data. Cyber-attacks that focus on obtaining this data usually happen indirectly as hackers install malware onto a computer system. These malware pieces try to steal information from patients which can lead to identity theft, fraud, and other various scams.
The attackers use a variety of techniques to do this such as the use of phishing attacks or social engineering. In a phishing attack, hackers send a message with malware attached to another person who then unwittingly installs it onto their computer system.
What can Healthcare businesses do?
The best way to prevent a cyber-attack is to keep all software and programs up to date with the most recent security patches. Healthcare businesses should review their software and upgrade to newer versions when they become available. It is also important to have an antivirus program installed on your computer system.
Conclusion
Hacking attacks are increasing against hospitals. There is a need for healthcare businesses to conduct a yearly, semi-annual, quarterly, or even monthly Security Risk Assessment. Cyber threats range from phishing scams, social engineering, and malware programs that steal patient data which can lead to identity theft or fraud, among other things. The best way to prevent cyberattacks is by using up-to-date software and staying on top of any new security patches.
Medical ITG can help you with your IT security, HIPAA compliance, reporting, EMR/EHR, and more. Contact us today by email at [email protected], phone at 877-220-8774, or web at https://medicalitg.com/contact/
For more on the story above, check out this link http://www.dailyjournal.net/2021/10/02/johnson-memorials-computer-network-hacked/