Healthcare Is 20 Years Behind Banks on Cybersecurity in Canada, Experts Say
Security Boulevard
Filip Truta
Hospitals and clinics in Canada can’t cope with growing cyber threats amid the COVID-19 pandemic, say healthcare and cybersecurity professionals. The reason? Healthcare institutions spend a bare minimum on IT, putting every dollar to front-line care services. Criminals know this – and are increasingly exploiting it.
A CBC Canada report reveals that the country’s health system has been under siege from cybercriminals trying to steal patient information and other data in recent years.
The report highlights several recent incidents, including last year’s hit on LifeLabs, a Canadian diagnostic and specialty testing company, ransomware attacks on three Ontario hospitals in October, the hack of eHealth Saskatchewan earlier this year, and an incident at a medical center in Nova Scotia that exposed personally identifiable information about surgeries.
With cybersecurity incidents growing in number, the federal government’s Canadian Centre for Cybersecurity warned health organizations...