Cybersecurity in the age of digital pandemics: protecting patient data in low-income and middle-income countries
Published on April 24, 2024
In the digital age, the health-care sector has become increasingly targeted by cybercriminals, particularly for its patient data. In January, 2024, a substantial data breach at French payment processors Viamedis and Almerys compromised the private health information of over 33 million individuals, affecting nearly half of France's population. This incident is part of a growing trend of cyberattacks recently identified by WHO as a global threat to public health. Cybercriminals have been demanding increasingly large ransoms to recover stolen patient data and re-establish access to crucial health-care systems.