Cyber attacks: How prepared is pharma?

The pharmaceutical industry is a prime target for hackers. In 2015, a survey by Crown Records Management revealed that nearly two thirds of pharma firms had experienced breaches in data, and that one fourth of these same companies had been victims of hacking. [1]

The Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust in the UK experienced a malware attack in late October of 2016, being forced to redirect trauma patients and cancel all other planned operations for the day of the attack. [2] In the USA, the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights Breach Portal reported 320 cases of undermined health information in 2016, up by 18.5% compared to 2015. [3] A recent large-scale attack used ransomware known as WannaCry to extort money from victims in 150 different countries, affecting 47 NHS health trusts in England. [4]  The continued threat of malicious software is highlighting gaps in the healthcare industry’s cybersecurity capabilities.

Why is healthcare being targeted?