In a report released this week, it was announced that tens of thousands of patient records were posted to the dark web in an extortion attempt.

Leon Medical Centers in Miami and Nocona General Hospital in Texas, have become victims of this breach and as a result, tens of thousands of patient medical information has been compromised. Information including names, addresses, birthdays, scanned diagnostic result, letters to insurance companies, notations on colonoscopy exams and more are now surfacing the dark web. 

The breach of Leon Medical Centers and Nocona General Hospital is gaining media attention due to the large number of compromised files. But it is not alone. In 2020 the healthcare industry saw a rush of ransomware attacks”. It is assumed that the increase in targeting the healthcare industries is tied to the heavy unknowns and fears in the medical world surrounding COVID-19.

If you are in the healthcare industry, now more than ever is the time to take necessary security steps to protect yourself.

Healthcare IT News wrote “Criminals are unlikely to ease off the gas pedal anytime soon: The COVID-19 vaccines present heightened opportunities for hackers to target the supply chain as well as proprietary data and patient information.”

Cyber criminals are crafty, sneaky and determined. Do not allow yourself to be naïve and assume it won’t happen to you. The risk for the healthcare industry is real. Healthcare's risk is at an all time high. And it is imperative to make sure you are taking the best security steps possible.

If you have questions on what you should be doing, reach out to us today.