Why health care has become a top target for cybercriminals
Medical providers hold a trove of patient data including financial information, social security numbers.
Elise Takahama, The Dallas Morning News,
When a cyberattack hit Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center late last year and exposed the personal data of nearly a million patients, many were caught off guard, stunned a breach could infiltrate such a large and highly resourced health care organization.
But those working in computer security weren’t surprised. In recent years, they’ve watched other hospitals and health care facilities across the country get hit by similar attacks, some that have crashed systemwide operations and caused delays in patient procedures or tests, or rerouted ambulances to other emergency rooms.
