Alex Whitworth, cybersecurity options vertical government at Carahsoft Expertise, mentioned the ransomware assaults on well being care organizations and utilities that data expertise directors ought to perceive as they assess the cybersecurity posture of their organizations and implement measures to guard their networks from such assaults.
Whitworth wrote in a weblog publish revealed Monday that ransomware assaults on well being care organizations rose from 34 p.c in 2020 to 66 p.c in 2021 and well being establishments that paid the ransom recovered solely 65 p.c of their knowledge in 2021.
He famous that investments in cyber defenses may assist well being care organizations scale back the impression of ransomware.
An annual report by IMB Safety confirmed that organizations that absolutely applied cybersecurity measures skilled a mean breach value discount of 65 p.c.
For the utilities sector, Whitworth cited the ransomware assaults on Colonial Pipeline and on a water remedy facility in Florida in 2021.
A Pattern Micro research reveals that just about 90 p.c of electrical energy, manufacturing, oil and fuel corporations have witnessed cyberattacks impacting vitality provide and manufacturing previously yr and practically half of these didn’t implement further prevention measures following the assaults.
In keeping with Whitworth, the Environmental Safety Company will quickly institute further cybersecurity necessities to guard nationwide water infrastructure from hackers and firms within the utilities sector ought to work to evaluate their methods and improve their defenses and restoration plans.
“Whereas laws develops to deal with the present cybersecurity gaps, sectors like healthcare and utilities should actively take initiative to deal with system weaknesses and make it tougher for cybercriminals to infiltrate,” Whitworth wrote.
“Investing within the vital adjustments and updates is essential for U.S. crucial infrastructure organizations earlier than their particular person establishments change into the following goal,” he added.
