Is health data safe?

: Miki G.; > CyberSecurity; > 29 September 2021

According to a new Swascan report, Italian healthcare companies are at high risk with regard to cyber security.

i dati sanitari sono al sicuro

In fact, of the facilities analyzed by Swascan, more than half are at risk of theft of sensitive data. In particular, the study focused on vulnerabilities, finding that only 4 companies out of 20 examined were found to be without vulnerabilities. While more than 50 vulnerabilities have been identified in 5 companies. It also identified open ports, unencrypted protocols and compromised emails.

Healthcare companies, the most affected by ransomware

A problem that is also reflected in the numbers of successful hacker attacks against structures in the healthcare sector. In 2020, more than 2,000 ransomware hit Italian healthcare companies, making the sector the most affected, followed by the banking sector and the public administration.

The gravity of the situation cannot leave you indifferent. Healthcare facilities process sensitive data but not only. The ransomware attack that hit the San Giovanni Addolorata hospital in Rome in mid-September also led to the suspension of non-urgent interventions. In fact, health data has become in great demand in the illegal market, in fact it can affect companies, pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies, so hackers are increasingly active to recover such precious goods, ready to find the best buyer on the dark web.

How much health data cost

According to some estimates, a medical record could fetch up to a thousand dollars. And if these data are used to create false identities, the value can even reach 2 thousand dollars. Between 10 and 100 dollars is the value of health data that allow for falsifications such as cards and prescriptions. Finally, a medical degree or license is quietly sold for 500 dollars.