There are many types of hackers that have been targeting healthcare organizations, and a variety of threats that come with the different cybercriminals.
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As breaches continue to plague the healthcare industry, it is important to be familiar with the types of hackers and cybercriminals that exist.
So, who are the main players in the cyber attack realm?
First, there are script kiddies. These cyber attackers are the least skilled and enter through vulnerable systems. They typically purchase, trade and use tools developed by larger attackers.
There are also hacktivists who are politically motivated hackers that target institutions based on political views. They commonly look to embarrass institutions or cause server crashes.
Cybercriminals are the typical attackers that make money through extortion or disclosure of patient information. They use ransomware or malware.
Another group of hackers are cyberterrorists who destroy critical services and infrastructure of a specific country or organization. They focus on causing panic.
Finally, nation state actors sponsor other groups that act against foreign governments and organizations. They use advanced malware to target the healthcare sector.
The biggest healthcare cyber security threat in 2016 is the use of ransomware by cybercriminals. This ransomware holds data until money is paid to the cybercriminals.
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