Could patients be at risk during a hospital cyberattack? It depends how far hackers are willing to go, expert says
Fierce Healthcare
Heather Landi
Hospitals are facing a new wave of ransomware attacks even as they also struggle to confront a nationwide surge in COVID-19 cases.
In one recent incident, a cyberattack is believed to have contributed to the death of a patient. In September, a woman seeking emergency treatment for a life-threatening condition died after a ransomware attack crippled a nearby hospital in Düsseldorf, Germany, and forced her to obtain services from a more distant facility, according to media reports.
German authorities are investigating the unknown perpetrators on suspicion of negligent manslaughter, the AP reported.
Could this signal an alarming trend with cyberattacks?
It depends...