Rural hospitals in the United States are continuously being targeted by cybercriminals. Microsoft and Google are collaborating to rectify this issue.
Microsoft has announced that they'll provide free security updates to eligible rural hospitals, along with security assessments and training for their staff. Google will offer free cybersecurity advice to these hospitals and start a pilot program to pair their cybersecurity services with the needs of rural hospitals, as Cybersecurity Advisor to the White House National Security Council, Anne Neuberger, mentioned in a press briefing.
We've reached out to Google for more information about the initiative.
Rural community hospitals, of which there are around 1,800, are particularly susceptible to ransomware attacks due to their limited IT security resources and lack of cybersecurity-trained personnel. These hospitals could potentially be the only medical facilities within dozens of miles, causing an attack to prevent them from accepting ambulances to jeopardize patients' lives.
This collaboration between tech companies and White House officials is an attempt to utilize the extensive reach of Microsoft and Google's software, which is used in hospitals across the US, to help strengthen hospital defenses against cyberattacks.
The Biden administration is also planning on issuing mandatory cybersecurity standards for US hospitals. The details of this initiative have not been made public yet. However, the American Hospital Association, representing hospitals across the nation, is against this proposal, arguing that it would impose penalties on hospitals after they've been hacked.
Rising Threats
In 2023, the number of ransomware attacks on the US healthcare sector rose by 128% compared to 2022, according to data released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Recent ransomware attacks on healthcare-related organizations have highlighted the vulnerability of this sector.
A major health insurance billing company was hit by a ransomware attack in February, disrupting billions of dollars' worth of transactions and pushing some health clinics towards bankruptcy. UnitedHealth Group (owner of the hacked subsidiary) paid a $22 million ransom to the hackers to try and recover patient data. It's estimated that one-third of Americans could have had their data stolen.
In addition to this, a ransomware attack on a major American hospital chain in May put patients in danger, forcing nurses to manually enter prescription information.
The FBI and their international counterparts have carried out several operations targeting ransomware gangs, seizing their computers and decrypting some of the victim computers that were encrypted. But ransomware continues to thrive as a lucrative business, a part of this being attributed to the fact that many of its perpetrators operate without fear in Russia.
The healthcare sector is a highly attractive target for hackers since hospitals under pressure to restore services often end up paying the ransom.
"We do see a much more permissive environment in Russia for both hacktivists and criminals, and it's a concern," Neuberger, the White House official, stated. "We are also increasingly seeing companies paying ransoms. And every ransom payment feeds the beast and drives further attacks."
Cleveland Cyberattack Closes City Hall
Cyberattacks continue to be a major issue, disrupting essential services in vulnerable areas.
The city of Cleveland is currently investigating a cyber incident, as stated in a Sunday night press release from Mayor Justin Bibb's office. As a safety measure, City Hall was shut down on Monday. All internal systems and software were also closed. However, city and emergency services, like the Department of Public Safety, 911, police, fire department, ambulances, and the Department of Public Utilities, will remain functional.
"The City of Cleveland is currently investigating a cyber incident and though we have not confirmed its nature and scope, we are taking this incident seriously," the statement from Mayor Bibb's office said. "We are working expeditiously to rectify the situation as soon as possible."
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Microsoft is offering free cybersecurity advice and security assessments for rural hospitals, along with providing free security updates, to help strengthen their defenses against cyberattacks, as part of their commitment to address rural hospitals' vulnerability to ransomware attacks due to limited IT resources and lack of cybersecurity personnel.
Google is expanding its efforts in cybersecurity by offering to pair its services with the needs of rural hospitals and acting as Cybersecurity Advisor to the White House National Security Council, aiming to utilize their extensive reach in the tech industry to assist in improving hospital defenses against cyberattacks.
