Cyber incidents in Australia’s healthcare sector are on the rise and threatening to impact patient care.
Aside from the government sector, the healthcare and social assistance sectors reported the highest number of cyber security incidents during the 2021–22 financial year, making up 9% of all attacks reported by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC).1
Australia is attractive to cybercriminals because of its widespread internet connectivity, per capita wealth, and investment structures such as moveable superannuation accounts and share ownership.
The healthcare sector is particularly attractive because of its heavy reliance on digital systems and the sensitive data it stores and shares, including patient medical records, personal identification numbers, and financial data.
To help organisations protect against cyberattack, the ACSC developed prioritised mitigation strategies known as ‘The Essential Eight’.
Find out more at www.cyber.gov. au/acsc/view-all-content/ essential-eight.
Reference
1. ACSC Annual Cyber Threat Report, July 2021 to June 2022, Cyber.gov.au
