COVID-19 has impacted so much of our work and our lives. Now a new white paper details how the virus and other factors have contributed to a disturbing rise in cyberattacks on healthcare organizations. Among the startling statistics from 2020 so far:
- 86% of data breaches are for financial gain, up from 71% in 2019.
- 67% of breaches are caused by credential theft, errors, and social attacks. Of these, 37 percent used stolen or weak credentials, 25% involved phishing, and 22% were the result of human error.
- 70% of breaches are done by external actors, with 55% involving organized crime.
- Ransomware increased from 24% in 2019 to 27% in 2020.
- 18% of organizations reported blocking at least one piece of ransomware last year
Now is the time to review and ramp up your cybersecurity activities. Starting by answering these questions:
- What are the biggest threats to your industry and your business?
- What is involved in a reasonable cybersecurity business continuity plan? What elements are missing from yours?
- What cybersecurity standards do you follow? Are they enough? Will they be enough tomorrow? What gaps do you need to fill?
- What challenges will you face to live up to appropriate industry standards and best practices?
- What are the most effective ways to solve problems and fill gaps within your resource and budget constraints?
