Chapter 3: "Cybersecurity Failures in Healthcare: The 2023 Hospital Ransomware Crisis"
Devang Patel
American National University
IT 230: Help Desk Remote Services
Khalid Ayyubov
September 21, 2024
"Cybersecurity Failures in Healthcare: The 2023 Hospital Ransomware Crisis"
On a malware infection or cyberattack that caused monetary or reputational loss, a
significant example is the ransomware attack that affected hospitals across the U.S. in 2023,
(Uberoi, n.d.) This attack, which disrupted the operations of at least 141 hospitals, led to
significant reputational damage and monetary losses (Alder, 2024). Hospitals were forced to
postpone critical surgeries and procedures, which not only impacted patient care but also resulted
in millions of dollars in financial loss due to operational downtime and the cost of recovering
from the attack.
Ransomware attacks like this one are becoming more common and highlight the need for
healthcare organizations to enhance their cybersecurity infrastructure. The attack exposed
vulnerabilities in their systems, making it clear how crucial it is for technical professionals to
perform cost-benefit analyses when planning cybersecurity projects (Munshaw, 2023). While
strengthening defenses can be costly, the consequences of not doing so—such as the financial
and reputational damage seen in this case can be far more severe.
Original article:
(https://www.hipaajournal.com/at-least-141-hospitals-directly-affected-by-ransomware-attacks-
in-2023)
Reference:
Uberoi, A. (n.d.). November 2023: Biggest cyber attacks, data breaches ransomware attacks.
https://www.cm-alliance.com/cybersecurity-blog/november-2023-biggest-cyber-attacks-
data-breaches-ransomware-attacks
Alder, S. (2024, September 5). At least 141 hospitals directly affected by ransomware attacks in
2023. The HIPAA Journal. https://www.hipaajournal.com/2023-healthcare-ransomware-
attacks/
Munshaw, J. (2023, December 19). Year in Malware 2023: Recapping the major cybersecurity
stories of the past year. Cisco Talos Blog. https://blog.talosintelligence.com/year-in-
malware-2023-timeline/
Financial loss exposure of cyber risks across industries. (2024, September 10). World Economic
Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/03/how-does-your-industry-compare-
when-it-comes-to-the-financial-impact-of-cyber-threats/
