Hospitals are increasingly on guard against ransomware attacks, but hackers may be minimizing the severity of their own threat because they're getting greedy.
One can look at the ransomware attack at Kansas Heart Hospital in Wichita that occurred in May. The hospital paid a ransom to hackers to regain access to its files, but instead of returning full access, the hackers demanded another ransom.
"This attempt to double-dip has broken the unwritten compact between victim and data-napper," according to PC World. "If paying the ransom doesn't result in a return of the stolen property, victims will quickly lose their incentive to pay."
Essentially, hackers' greed could delegitimize these attacks.
The FBI recommends users hit with ransomware virus do not pay the ransom, as paying a ransom can encourage hackers and cybercriminals to continue attacking.
More articles on ransomware:
Why Crysis is healthcare's most threatening ransomware yet
Colorado clinic finds traces of ransomware
12 latest healthcare data breaches