The European Union has announced urgent measures to tackle the growing threat to hospitals and the entire healthcare sector caused by the wave of cyber attacks.
These attacks breach data security, and often use ransomware - a form of digital extortion where hackers encrypt data or block services, demanding that users pay to regain access.
The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, warned in November that such attacks on hospitals to obtain ransoms "can be matters of life and death". WHO and some 50 countries have expressed concern at the UN about the growing threat.
In 2023, there were 309 "significant cybersecurity incidents" affecting the EU healthcare sector, the European Commission said. Healthcare is affected more than any other critical industry in the bloc.
The EU warned that hospitals and healthcare providers are "particularly vulnerable" to such threats, which could disrupt treatment and put patient safety at risk.
Planned measures include the creation of a Europe-wide cyber security support centre for hospitals and healthcare providers.
The proposal aims to encourage hospitals to protect data with robust backup systems, train staff to better respond to cyber threats - and help healthcare providers avoid paying kickbacks.
The EU will expand tools for recovery from cyber attacks as part of a plan that aims to protect the continuum of care for patients.
The bloc also calls on the 27 member states to draw up national plans to strengthen cyber security in the sector, taking into account the specific risks in each country.
The Commission will further discuss threats with the sector to create a "more detailed and targeted" plan by the end of the year.
"Prevention is better than cure, so we need to prevent cyber attacks. But if they do happen, we need to have everything we need to detect them and respond and recover quickly," stated EU head of technology Hena Virkunen.
"Patients need to feel confident that their most sensitive information is protected. Healthcare professionals must have confidence in the systems they use every day to save lives," said Health Commissioner Oliver Varhei. | BGNES
