Philips reports that cybercriminals extort hospitals by stealing patient data, forcing them to pay sky-high lump sums. Eindhovens Dagblad reported so this morning.
American hospitals in particular are increasingly falling prey to this form of cybercrime. Philips’ own systems have also been targeted, chairman Frans van Houten announced prior to Radiological Society of North America conference. At the moment, Dutch hospitals have not yet been victims of extortion hackers.
Philips explains that hospitals are vulnerable to cybercriminals because their systems are often outdated. In recent years, too little has been done to modernise the systems. The Eindhoven-based company will help to protect hospitals against this digital extortion, working together with an American company. They initially serve American hospitals. Other parts of the world will follow later.
Source: Studio040
Translator: Shufei
