Hackers targeting outpatient healthcare facilities
A new report from Critical Insight, which examined the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) data breach portal, found that outpatient facilities and other healthcare specialty clinics were victims of data breaches almost as often as hospitals. But business associates of healthcare facilities accounted for 43% of all breaches in the market sector, according to the report.
This trend is not just a blip on the screen either - but one that has been noted as an upward trend for the past three years. In the first half of 2021, 141 breaches reported to HHS involved business associated. In 2018, for example, 44 were reported.
The report also breaks down data from HHS to demonstrate the types of cybersecurity attacks healthcare organizations are facing, including hacking/IT incident, improper disposal, loss, theft and unauthorized access or disclosure. More than 70% of the data breaches reported in the first half of 2021 within healthcare were categorized as hacking/IT incidents.
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