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Introduction
In 2024, cyber threats targeting the healthcare industry have escalated dramatically, surpassing other major sectors in both frequency and complexity. As healthcare institutions become increasingly digitized, they present a rich target for cybercriminals seeking valuable patient data, leverageable access, and opportunities for political disruption. A recent report by cybersecurity firm Darktrace exposes the alarming rise in attacks against hospitals, clinics, and healthcare suppliers, calling attention to a deeply vulnerable segment of national infrastructure. With patient lives and data on the line, the healthcare sector is now confronting an era of cyber warfare that demands urgent attention.
Healthcare Faces Highest Volume of Cyber-Attacks in 2024
New research from Darktrace reveals a troubling trend: healthcare has overtaken all other sectors in cyber incident volume this year. The firm reported responding to 45 cybersecurity incidents within healthcare, outpacing finance (37), energy (22), insurance (14), and telecoms (12). Experts suggest that the inherently lucrative and sensitive nature of healthcare data makes it a goldmine for attackers.
Globally, data breaches in healthcare have averaged \$10 million in damages between 2020 and 2024, highlighting the costliness of each compromise. Nicole Wong, Principal Cyber Analyst at Darktrace, noted that attackers are not just motivated by money but also by the strategic value of disrupting essential services.
The report outlines that 36% of these compromises stem from edge infrastructure vulnerabilities, and another 32% come from phishing attacks. Other vulnerabilities include outdated devices, poor configurations, and open ports. Alarmingly, most intrusions (75%) did not result in immediate ransomware but instead were part of a longer, more methodical attack strategy aimed at future exploitationāreflecting nation-state level sophistication.
Darktrace analysts also noticed an uptick in targeted phishing attacks aimed at VIP personnel within healthcare organizations. One-third of these attacks targeted high-access individuals, often through impersonated or compromised supplier accounts. These methods exploit the trust between healthcare providers and vendors, making them even harder to detect.
Infrastructure vulnerabilities were also significant. Devices from well-known vendors such as Cisco, Citrix, and Fortinet were frequently exploited. From hospital suppliers to smaller clinics, no part of the sector was immune.
The attack surface is expanding due to the increasing adoption of cloud services, more third-party integration, and the proliferation of medical IoT devices (IoMT). In one case, a digital imaging device was found infected with PurpleFox and DirtyMoe malware. Rather than targeting patient data, attackers used it as a launchpad to move deeper into the network, a tactic that stresses the need for full-spectrum security coverageāincluding clinical and IoT devices.
Patrick Anjos of Darktrace emphasized that medical devices can no longer be viewed as isolated systems. Instead, they are part of a broader ecosystem vulnerable to the same threats as traditional IT systems. Cybersecurity in healthcare must now evolve to keep pace with the complex landscape.
What Undercode Say:
The healthcare sector is undergoing a digital revolution, but with progress comes peril. This yearās cybercrime data should serve as a wake-up call. The increase in targeted attacks is not just a fluke; it reflects a growing awareness among cybercriminals that healthcare presents a high-value, low-resilience target.
Cyber actors are no longer simply seeking dataātheyāre strategically positioning themselves within networks, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. The 75% rate of non-escalated intrusions indicates a rise in advanced persistent threats (APTs), where attackers infiltrate, surveil, and expand quietly before launching devastating operations.
Whatās especially alarming is the sophistication of phishing campaigns. By targeting high-level personnel and leveraging compromised supplier accounts, attackers are mimicking real communication flows. This social engineering not only bypasses traditional filters but also reduces detection by security teams.
Additionally, vulnerabilities in infrastructure hardware such as Citrix and Cisco devices underline a systemic issue. Healthcare often lacks the dedicated cybersecurity budgets and personnel found in finance or defense, leaving it unprepared for zero-day exploits or patch management challenges.
The surge in connected medical devices further complicates the picture. Many IoMT devices run on outdated software, lack encryption, or donāt support modern cybersecurity tools. This growing digital perimeter, when unmonitored, becomes a hackerās paradise.
Darktraceās finding that malware like PurpleFox and DirtyMoe was discovered in imaging machines highlights an uncomfortable truth: attackers donāt need patient data to cause chaos. Gaining a foothold in the network through any device is enough to launch broader operations, including ransomware, service disruption, or data harvesting later on.
Regulatory gaps also leave hospitals exposed. Unlike sectors such as banking, which are tightly regulated and audited, healthcare often operates under fragmented and inconsistent security standards across regions and institutions.
To counter this growing threat, healthcare providers need a cultural shift toward cybersecurity awareness. This includes regular security audits, investment in AI-powered threat detection, updated risk assessments, and most importantly, cross-functional collaboration between IT, clinical staff, and vendors.
Government support is essential too. As critical infrastructure, healthcare deserves similar protections as utilities and financial systems. Cybersecurity funding, policy support, and threat intelligence sharing should be elevated on national security agendas.
Ultimately, the future of healthcare will depend not only on medical innovation but also on the ability to safeguard its digital transformation from increasingly aggressive cyber threats.
Fact Checker Results ā
š Healthcare was indeed the most targeted industry for cyber incidents in 2024, according to Darktrace data.
š Phishing and infrastructure vulnerabilities made up over two-thirds of breaches.
ā ļø Most attacks were initial intrusions laying groundwork for more serious future compromises.
Prediction š®
With the digital transformation of healthcare accelerating, we predict that 2025 will see an increase in both ransomware and supply chain attacks. Threat actors are likely to exploit IoMT devices more aggressively, using them as entry points into larger hospital networks. Expect increased regulatory oversight and the emergence of specialized cybersecurity solutions tailored to protect clinical systems and patient data.
References:
Reported By: www.infosecurity-magazine.com
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