Recent cyberattacks on hospital and healthcare systems may not have a direct impact on credit ratings but do highlight an increased risk if more dangerous activity were to take place in the future, Fitch Ratings said in a Feb. 3 release.
If more malicious attacks were to happen, hospitals could have their ratings negatively affected. Such attacks could also potentially lead to "dire effects on health and safety," Fitch warned.
Russian hacking group Killnet claimed responsibility for the recent cyberattack that hit a number of prominent hospitals and health systems across the country.
Fitch, which estimated that approximately 20 systems were affected, said some targeted entities were able to quickly restore their websites, and it appears no personal healthcare information or data were compromised.
"But the attacks highlight the growing risks and capabilities of threat actors who could cause greater harm through more malicious attacks that affect healthcare delivery," Fitch said.