From being relatively spared, alarms about cyberattacks against healthcare have become more frequent after the pandemic. The increase is so significant that experts speak of a paradigm shift.
According to a report from Orange Cyberdefense, attacks on the healthcare and social services sector increased by 50 percent worldwide in 2024, making the sector the fourth most affected.
– We are facing a paradigm shift, says Peter Larsson, the company’s CTO in Sweden, to Läkartidningen.
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– Since 2020, cybercriminals have become more ruthless. Previously, they have not targeted healthcare or non-profit organizations. That is no longer true. Their modus operandi, where they previously chose to spare certain sectors, has changed, he says.
Spreading fear
What they are specifically involved in is both extortion attempts and overload attacks. In times of strained geopolitical situations, it often involves spreading fear or doubt about the society’s resilience, according to Larsson.
– They want to send the message ‘Look, you can’t log in to 1177’… We have seen this on several occasions.
Depending on the sender, it can be considered hybrid warfare, and often there is a clear connection to national interests, according to Larsson.