The Health-ISAC’s Healthcare Heartbeat report discusses ransomware and cybercrime trends that could affect healthcare organizations. The resource offers insights into threat actor activities and the potential risks they pose to healthcare infrastructure.
The healthcare industry has endured an onslaught of ransomware attacks, with the number of incidents remaining consistently high throughout the year. These attacks disrupt operations and jeopardize the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive patient information. Health-ISAC's data reveals that ransomware attacks have accounted for many of the cybersecurity incidents impacting the sector, indicating the need for improved defense mechanisms.
A deeper analysis of the ransomware trends paints a concerning picture. The data shows a steady stream of ransomware events targeting healthcare entities, with the Americas and Europe bearing the brunt of these attacks. The United States, in particular, has appeared as the epicenter, experiencing the highest number of ransomware incidents among all countries.
Ransomware groups have continuously refined their tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to maximize the impact of their attacks. One notable development is the shift towards data exfiltration, where threat actors not only encrypt data but also threaten to release sensitive information publicly if the ransom demands are not met. The double-extortion approach has become a hallmark of modern ransomware operations, adding an additional layer of pressure on victims.
Another threat facing the healthcare sector is the manipulation of open databases that expose sensitive personal health information (PHI) and personally identifiable information (PII). These unsecured databases, directly accessible over the internet without any authentication, pose a risk of data breaches and unauthorized access.
Health-ISAC has been actively monitoring and alerting its members about the presence of these open databases, which include technologies such as CouchDB, Microsoft SQL, MongoDB, MySQL, and Postgres. Among these, MySQL instances have been the most commonly identified as vulnerable. Health-ISAC aims to empower healthcare organizations to address these exposures by providing timely alerts in order to safeguard the confidentiality of sensitive patient data.
The healthcare sector has also been the target of a new and aggressive threat group, Hunters International, which has employed a unique extortion technique involving the exposure of private patient images. While the group's operations are still under investigation, Health-ISAC has observed targeted attacks against seven healthcare delivery organizations (HDOs) in Europe and the United States.
Hunters International's ransomware, though modified, bears similarities to the code and infrastructure associated with the now-dismantled Hive threat group. The group has streamlined the encryption process and reduced the number of command-line parameters, making the malware less verbose. Notably, the ransomware attempts to disable backup and restore capabilities, further exacerbating the impact on victims.
To effectively navigate cyberattacks and mitigate the threats facing the healthcare sector, Health-ISAC recommends a holistic approach:
Implement multi-factor authentication and strong password policies, or, where possible, transition to passwordless environments to bolster access control measures.
Establish a patching management policy to ensure software and systems are promptly updated, addressing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
Conduct regular employee training to cultivate a culture of cyber awareness, empowering non-IT staff to recognize and respond to potential threats.
Segment the network to limit the impact of a compromise and quickly isolate any infected devices to prevent the further spread of malware.
Ensure all relevant data is securely backed up, providing a reliable fallback in the event of a successful ransomware attack or data encryption.
Establish effective vendor management practices to mitigate the risks of supply chain compromises.
Related: How healthcare can avoid devastating supply chain cyber attacks
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Cybersecurity involves protecting computer systems, networks, and data from digital attacks, unauthorized access, and damage. In healthcare, it is necessary to safeguard protected health information (PHI) and electronic protected health information (ePHI). Effective measures help keep sensitive patient data confidential, secure, and compliant with HIPAA regulations.
Cybersecurity benefits HIPAA compliance because it helps protect PHI from breaches and unauthorized access, which are central to maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality. By implementing strong cybersecurity practices, healthcare organizations can prevent data breaches, avoid fines, and ensure they meet HIPAA’s security and privacy requirements.
Learn more: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide