Healthcare firms warned against cyber criminals

CEBU, Philippines —  Cybersecurity company Kaspersky has warned healthcare institutions to be very extra careful in protecting medical equipment as these have become one of the most attractive targets of cybercriminals this year. As the Southeast Asian region, including the Philippines, moves towards healthcare digitalization, cybercriminals are also boosting their expertise in launching attacks in this particular field.

The healthcare field as a target of cyber threats is a worldwide trend.

In previous forecasts, Kaspersky experts have projected an increase in attacks on medical equipment in countries where digital transformation in healthcare is growing.

In 2020, interest in medical research surged among cybercriminals specializing in targeted attacks, spurred by the development of the much anticipated COVID-19 vaccine and its potential significance for the global community.

All across the SEA region, there has been an increased push towards remote health monitoring solutions and online health consultations, motivated by the goal of reducing contact.

This translates to an ever increasing number of patient data coming online as well as the increase in attack surface throughout the health sector.

According to Kaspersky researchers, this trend will continue through 2021. The new year may also see more attack attempts targeted towards this sector as new regulatory restrictions, new treatments and an increase in the number of potential victims continue to attract attention.