New KnowBe4 report sheds light on cybersecurity crisis in the sector – Voxafrica

KnowBe4 (www.KnowBe4.com), provider of the world’s largest security awareness and simulated phishing training platform, has released its International Healthcare Report. The report takes a closer look at the cybersecurity crisis currently facing the healthcare sector, particularly hospital groups, worldwide.

Africa was the global region with the highest average number of weekly cyberattacks per organisation in 2023. One in 19 organisations on the continent experienced an attempted attack every week. While South Africa’s healthcare sector has managed to avoid a major attack since 2020, the alarming escalation of attacks in other sectors across the country suggests it is only a matter of time before another attack occurs, making it a matter of “when” rather than “if”.

Hospitals have become increasingly attractive targets for ransomware attacks due to their complex patient databases, sensitive information, and interconnected systems and equipment. Additionally, weak security measures have left hospitals vulnerable to cyber threats. Once attacked, cybercriminals can potentially take control of entire hospital systems and gain access not only to patient health information, but also to their financial and insurance data.

Hospitals are being severely affected by cyberattacks (https://apo-opa.co/4csCXH4), which can lead to reduced patient care, loss of access to electronic systems, and reliance on incomplete paper records. It can also result in the cancellation of surgeries, tests, appointments, and in some cases, even loss of life.

The report discusses the following shocking facts:

• In the first three quarters of 2023, the global healthcare sector saw a staggering 1,613 cyberattacks per week, almost four times the global average and a significant increase compared to the same period last year.
• The healthcare sector has seen a sharp increase in the cost of cyberattacks over the past three years, with the average cost of a breach reaching almost $11 million, more than three times the global average. This makes healthcare the most expensive sector for cyberattacks.
• Ransomware attacks are the most common type of cyberattack against healthcare organizations, accounting for more than 70% of successful attacks over the past two years.
• The majority of cyberattacks (79% to 91%) across all sectors start with phishing or social engineering, which allows cybercriminals to gain access to accounts or servers.
• According to the 2024 KnowBe4 Phishing by Industry Benchmarking Report (https://apo-opa.co/4csuiEB), healthcare and pharmaceutical organizations are most vulnerable to phishing attacks, with employees of large organizations in this sector having a 51.4% chance of falling victim to a phishing email. This means that cybercriminals have a greater than 50% chance of successfully phishing an employee in this sector.

“The healthcare sector remains a prime target for cybercriminals looking to exploit the life-and-death situations that hospitals face,” says Stu Sjouwerman, CEO of KnowBe4. “With patient data and critical systems held hostage, many hospitals feel they have no choice but to pay exorbitant ransoms. This vicious cycle can be broken by prioritizing comprehensive security awareness training to empower employees and build a positive security culture as a strong defense against phishing and social engineering attacks.”

The report examines the state of cybersecurity in the healthcare sector across North America, Europe, the UK, Asia Pacific, Africa, and Latin America. It also highlights some of the most prevalent global ransomware attacks that occurred between December 2023 and May 2024, their impact, and what healthcare organizations can do to protect themselves from cyberattacks.

To download a copy of the KnowBe4 report on international healthcare, click here (https://apo-opa.co/3xIjjaY).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KnowBe4.

About KnowBe4:
KnowBe4, provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, is used by over 65,000 organizations worldwide. Founded by IT and data security expert Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4 helps organizations address the human element of security by raising awareness of ransomware, CEO scams, and other social engineering tactics through a groundbreaking approach to security awareness training. The late Kevin Mitnick, who was an internationally recognized cybersecurity expert and Chief Hacking Officer at KnowBe4, helped design KnowBe4 training based on his well-documented social engineering tactics. Organizations rely on KnowBe4 to mobilize their end users as the last line of defense and trust the KnowBe4 platform to strengthen their security culture and reduce human risk.