Cybersecurity Risks in a Pandemic

With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, society has shifted to being more dependent on technology at work and home leading to increased vulnerability to cybercrimes expected to cost the U.S. $6 trillion a year. In particular, the health care industry has been targeted with a large majority of cybersecurity attacks and data breaches. The primary factor in the increase of cybercrimes and victim scam susceptibility during the pandemic is fear or other tense emotions, as observed in other emergency situations such as during Hurricane Katrina. In hospitals, the use of remote services to address their patients has become extremely necessary, and therefore the enforcement of HIPPA has been decreased to allow platforms like Zoom and Facebook to be used. However, the loose enforcement of HIPPA increases susceptibility to cyberattacks since the platforms are not entirely secure. Aside from these threats, hospitals are also susceptible to ransomware, phishing emails targeting healthcare workers at home, and data breaches. In order to safely provide health care to their patients, hospitals should be aware of the threats faced and seek training in cyber procedures in order to raise awareness among employees. By understanding the actions and factors that increase cyberattacks, the health care industry can be better prepared to face cyber risks.