Everything Providers Should Know About Ransomware in Healthcare

Ransomware attacks are a nightmare. This type of malware encrypts your files and locks you out of your own devices and data. And they’re getting more frequent—by 2031, experts predict they’ll be happening every two seconds.

The healthcare industry is a prime target for these attacks—a whopping 67% of healthcare organizations were hit by healthcare ransomware in 2024. That’s alarming, especially when ransomware attacks are decreasing in other industries.

So, why is healthcare such a magnet for cyberattacks? And what can your healthcare organization do to protect itself from these cyber criminals?

This blog post dives deep into the world of cyberattacks in healthcare and offers strategies to keep your data and devices safe. Your healthcare organization can’t afford a breach—it’s time to take action.

The Anatomy of a Ransomware Attack

How It Starts

The bait: A ransomware attack often starts with a seemingly innocent email attachment or link disguised as an invoice, shipping document, or online file—something your employees see every day. These emails may even appear to come from a trusted vendor or even your own company, making them even harder to detect.

The infection: Once the unsuspecting user clicks on the attachment or link, their machine becomes infected with malware. Since most employee devices are connected to the network and shared cloud services, the malware quickly spreads, stealing sensitive patient data, login credentials, and other valuable information before encrypting it.

Ransom notice: Once the payload is dropped, a ransom note pops up on the user’s screen, demanding payment—usually in Bitcoin—in exchange for the decryption key. Some cybercriminals even offer “customer service” to help with the payment process.

Pay or restore: Now you’re faced with a difficult choice: pay the ransom and risk future attacks or restore your data from a backup (if you have one).

How Healthcare Ransomware Spreads

Cyber attackers are relentless in their pursuit to breach healthcare organizations. They use a variety of tactics to spread ransomware, including:

    • Phishing emails: These emails, often targeting individuals in the US and UK, trick users into clicking on malicious links or downloading infected attachments.

    • Drive-by downloads: Malicious code is downloaded and executed simply by visiting a compromised website, often without the user’s knowledge.

    • Removable media: Infected USB drives, external hard drives, and other removable media can spread ransomware when connected to a computer.

    • Cloud storage: Cyber attackers can also use cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox to spread ransomware.

    • Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP): RDP connections left open to the internet can be exploited by attackers to gain access to a network and deploy ransomware.

    • Backdoors: These hidden files can be included in seemingly legitimate downloads, allowing attackers to maintain access to a system even after the initial infection.

Why Is Healthcare Data Frequently the Target of Ransomware Attacks?

Cyber attacks, and especially healthcare ransomware, are common for three reasons.

  1. Healthcare Uses Outdated Technology: Healthcare runs on legacy systems. According to The State of Ransomware in Healthcare 2024 by Sophos, outdated tech and infrastructure open doors for healthcare ransomware attackers. These aging systems make it harder to secure devices and stop cyber attacks in healthcare before they spread.
  2. Healthcare Data Is Valuable: The average healthcare security compromise costs $4.74 million. That’s a staggering amount—and it’s no surprise why. Recovering from a cyberattack in healthcare takes time, money, and resources. But the real reason healthcare is such a lucrative target? The data. Healthcare organizations hold a treasure trove of information: patient data, Social Security numbers, financial details, and other Personally Identifiable Information (PII). For attackers, this data is gold. They can sell it on the dark web or even use it to blackmail patients.
  3. There’s a Ton of Healthcare Data Out There: Healthcare generates an incredible 30% of the world’s data, and that number is only growing—with a staggering 36% annual growth rate expected in 2025. To put it into perspective, just one hospital produces around 50 petabytes of data per year.

It’s not just the value of healthcare data that makes it a target—it’s the sheer volume. For healthcare ransomware attackers, this abundance is like striking gold, giving them endless opportunities to exploit and disrupt.

How Has the Healthcare Industry Addressed Ransomware?

Despite the growing threat of healthcare ransomware attacks, the healthcare industry hasn’t yet reached a unified solution to tackle the problem. In the U.S., while 70% of hospital boards include cybersecurity in their risk management oversight, only 37% conduct incident response exercises. That leaves significant gaps in preparedness.

Here’s how organizations are taking steps to fight back against healthcare ransomware and reduce cyber attack vectors:

Backups

Backups are copies of files or data stored in a separate hard drive or cloud storage. When healthcare ransomware strikes, having reliable backups is your lifeline. Backups allow healthcare organizations to restore systems to their pre-attack state and minimize downtime. To get the most out of your backups, keep these best practices in mind:

  • Integrity Verification: Regularly check that your backups are intact and free from corruption or malware for successful ransomware recovery.
  • Security Isolation: Store backups on a separate network to keep them safe from ransomware infiltration.
  • Regular Testing: Test your recovery process to ensure you can quickly restore systems when it matters most.

Network Segmentation

Ransomware loves to move across networks, but segmentation stops it in its tracks. By dividing networks into smaller sections, organizations can limit how far healthcare ransomware can spread. Here’s how it works:

  • Containment of Spread: Ransomware attack damage can be limited by containing it within a specific network segment through network segmentation.
  • Isolation of Critical Systems: Segmentation can isolate sensitive or critical information.
  • Reduced Attack Surface: Network segmentation can make it more challenging

for ransomware to move laterally, and it limits entry points.

  • Enhanced Access Control: Elevates access control to a granular level so each segment can have a unique set of permissions and rules.
  • Improved Monitoring and Detection: Irregular behavior in one segment can be.

more easily detected and allow for quicker response times.

  • Backup Integrity: Network segmentation can isolate backups and make it more challenging for attackers to compromise backup data.
  • Increased Recovery: With the impact of ransomware being limited to certain segments, other parts of the network can continue to function.

Endpoint Security

Individual devices like laptops and desktops are often the first targets in healthcare ransomware attacks. That’s why robust endpoint security is essential. Here’s what it offers:

  • Automatic Updates & Patch Management: Regular updates and patching can address cybersecurity flaws before attackers can exploit them.
  • Policy Enforcement: Endpoint security allows organizations to enforce policies across devices.
  • Incident Response: In the event of a ransomware attack, endpoint security can provide information about the attack and improve response and containment measures.

How to Prevent Ransomware Attacks in Healthcare

Weak passwords, phishing attempts, and failure to patch are often the root cause of healthcare ransomware attacks. Here are the practices organizations can employ daily to stop ransomware attacks:

Understand Your Data and Secure Backups

  • Assess risk
  • Know your data lifecycle
  • Encrypt, isolate, and test backups for recovery
  • Encrypt your data
  • Inventory Protected Health Information (PHI)
  • Know your data lifecycle

Implement Strong Password and Encryption Practices

  • Use strong, complex passwords
  • Rotate passwords more frequently
  • Secure key management
  • Develop a solid encryption strategy
  • Secure databases and rotate passwords for users, admins, and service accounts

Strengthen Endpoint Security and Vulnerability Management

  • Ensure endpoint saturation with antivirus, encryption, VPNs, and mobile device management (MDM)
  • Update antivirus/anti-malware configurations properly
  • Scan for vulnerabilities and remediate them promptly
  • Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Single Sign-On (SSO) for critical applications

Enhance Malware Defenses and Phishing Training

  • Block most malware with content filtering
  • Add known bad IPs and domains in real-time
  • Consider geo-blocking
  • Train staff to spot phishing attempts and how to report them effectively

Review and Harden Systems Regularly

  • Monitor user activity and prune unnecessary accounts
  • Patch systems immediately and stay up to date on patching practices
  • Harden operating systems by disabling unused services and closing ports

Limit Data Retention and Monitor Risks

  • Retain only the data you need by following retention policies
  • Implement data segmentation strategies
  • Use a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system
  • Tune alert thresholds to align with risk levels

Prepare for the Worst with Incident Response Planning

  • Retain a forensics firm in case of an incident
  • Obtain appropriate cyber insurance
  • Subscribe to threat intelligence sources like H-ISAC
  • Build a relationship with a healthcare attorney

Adopt Cloud Solutions and Architect for Security

  • Consider cloud adoption if not already in the cloud
  • Architect systems to segment data and reduce the blast radius of potential cyber attacks in healthcare
  • Use DevSecOps best practices
  • Conduct regular risk assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities

Best Practice Checklist for Providers

  • Providers and hospitals are the primary targets of healthcare ransomware attacks. Here are the best practices you should implement:
  • Establish and practice out-of-band, non-VoIP, communications
  • Rehearse IT lockdown protocol and process, including practicing backups
  • Ensure backup of medical records and EMR data, including a 321-backup strategy
  • Expedite patching response plan (IRP) within 24 hours
  • Prepare to maintain continuity of operations if attacked
  • Review plans within 24 hours of being hit
  • Power down IT where it’s not being used
  • Consider limiting the use of personal email
  • Be prepared to reroute patients if care is disrupted
  • Ensure proper staffing for continuity
  • Know how to contact federal authorities when phones are down, or email has been wiped
  • Consider limiting/powering down non-essential internet-facing IT services
  • Limit personal email services
  • Report all potentially related cyber incidents

Protect Your Healthcare Organization From Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware is a serious threat to healthcare organizations, but taking proactive steps can make all the difference.

That’s where ClearDATA comes in. Our advanced threat detection and prevention services are built to protect your organization from ransomware attacks. With 24/7 security monitoring, real-time threat intelligence, and automated remediation powered by our CyberHealth™ platform, we help you safeguard sensitive patient data while staying compliant with healthcare regulations.
Ready to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals? Partner with ClearDATA and talk to our cloud security experts. They’ll help prevent healthcare ransomware attacks before they disrupt your organization.

FAQ

Why is healthcare data frequently the target of ransomware attacks?

Healthcare data is valuable, abundant, and often stored on outdated systems. It includes sensitive patient information, Social Security numbers, and financial data, making it a lucrative target for cybercriminals.

How do you prevent ransomware attacks in healthcare?

Protect your organization by encrypting data, keeping backups secure, and using strong passwords and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). You should also train your staff to spot phishing scams and keep software updated to avoid security flaws that could be exploited.

How has the healthcare industry addressed ransomware?

Today’s healthcare organizations are tackling the threat of ransomware by instituting secure backups, network segmentation, and stronger endpoint security. Many are also improving incident response plans and increasing cybersecurity oversight, but there’s still work to be done to close gaps and stay ahead of attackers.

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