Large healthcare data breaches have already affected 88 million individuals in 2023, a 60% spike over last year, HHS reported.
Ransomware and hacking are the top two cyberthreats in healthcare, the agency said. The past four years have included a 279% increase in reported large breaches attributed to ransomware and a 239% rise in those related to hacking.
"In this ever-evolving space, it is critical that our healthcare system take steps to identify and address cybersecurity vulnerabilities along with proactively and regularly review risks, records, and update policies," said Melanie Fontes Rainer, director of HHS' Office of Civil Rights, in an Oct. 31 news release. "These practices should happen regularly across an enterprise to prevent future attacks."