The field of health and cybersecurity

The experts are now unanimous.

Health institutions are now a prime target for cyber-prisoners. And that tends to grow. Indeed, following a study conducted by "La Croix", there are still several health institutions, which do not have a computer security system that can ensure safe drinking to ensure the confidentiality of their medical data.

This article will also interest you: How to understand the security of health data?

one remembers at the time of the computer attack followed by the Rouen University Hospital between November 16 and 17, which was truly a shock: "System out-of-service computing. Very important delays for patients not consulting for a vital emergency. All the computers in the CHU are Affected. ». The scale of the attack was unprecedented and it was literally one of the biggest shocks that the hospital world is known in France. all the computer science the facility had been decommissioned. From internet connection to the internet access to patients' medical records up to messaging, while was inaccessible. "We didn't know much about what was going on," explained Dr. Gilles Avenel, "It took ten days to be able to start sending emails again and five more to access the Internet ».

However, in the year 2019 or even before that, this kind of attack has been common. And we shouldn't be fooled because it's not now that they will end. Indeed, according to the National Security Agency information systems, there has been a 70% increase in such attacks since 2017. In 2019 Rouen University Hospital, Montpellier University Hospital and Issoudun Hospital have also been the target of cyberattacks. The Ramsay Group with the 120 institutions have not escaped as to the known hacking wave 2019. "Not a week goes by without a health care is not targeted by a cryptolocker (software that encrypts data, like the one that touched Rouen)," said Vincent Trely, founder of Association for the Safety of Health Training Systems. According to him "No hospital director is unaware of the importance of cybersecurity." In fact, this seems normal because, on closer inspection, one realizes that hospitals are becoming more and more modern and increasingly dependent on digital. This obviously increases their vulnerability.

When questioned, Cédric Cartau, head of security for information systems at the University Hospital of Nantes stated: "The number of cyberattacks against businesses is constantly increasing (…) We've got digitized very quickly, for the past ten years, but security has not kept pace with s (…) And, if they arrive, ensure that the consequences are not Irreversible. ». He will then add that "For 135 groups hospitals is not much."

For the latter, it is possible to fight effectively attacks and even avoid them. This requires prevention, but also the establishment of systems capable of providing the first defences. « Hackers are pragmatic: between one armoured industry and another open to all winds, they choose the second. Today, if you Rob a bank with a gun, you're arrested right away. If you hack into a hospital, no one will ever find you and you'll have taken so much money, if not more. »

In addition, look at the immediate consequences of these computer attacks on health facilities, one could only worry. Indeed, in the case of the attack on the Rouen University Hospital, it was found that patients to be treated in the emergency department were referred to other institutions at the risk of their lives. Not only to put the lives of patients at risk because this is an immediate consequence, these attacks computer scientists huge financial losses. To raise the problem of piracy on Emmanuel Sohier, head of the "Accompanying cybersecurity of health structures" within the Digital Agency in health care said: "Doctors need data with integrity. Imagine that information about a patient being treated for cancer is unavailable or erroneous, it could put him at risk."

Looking at the above, we can simply deduce that 2020 is going to be a difficult one for health care institutions. Because as we have meant, we should expect an upsurge in this phenomenon of cyberattacks in the medical community. Let us hope that the authorities and specialists have already begun to address this issue.

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