why are hospitals so often targeted?

Why do cyberattacks frequently target hospitals? There were 380 in 2021 according to the Digital Health Agency, an increase of 70% compared to 2020. Five of them endangered the lives of patients. These attacks can paralyze the computer system of an entire hospital, as in Villefranche-sur-Saône (Rhône) in 2021, where 3,000 computers were shut down. The same year, the Dax hospital (Landes) also lost all patient data. The IT system had to be completely overhauled, for a total of 2.4 million euros.

The hackers send a fraudulent link, then a virus paralyzes the computer system. A ransom is then demanded by highly organized bands. “It’s completely professional, the money from piracy, today, has far exceeded drugs”, says Pascal Le Digol, cybersecurity expert at Watchguard. The data can then be sold: up to 300 euros for a medical file, on the black market, which is much more than bank details. Hospitals should spend 5% to 10% of their IT budget on cybersecurity. According to some experts, they would still be far from the mark.