An alarming surge in ransomware attacks is putting the world’s healthcare infrastructure at critical risk, endangering patient safety and destabilising health systems, the head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday, as the Security Council convened to discuss strategies to counter the growing threat.
According to a 2021 global survey, more than one-third of responding health institutions reported at least one ransomware attack in the preceding year, and a third among them reported paying a ransom.
Ransomware attacks are a form of cyberattacks, in which a malicious actor “takes over” or “locks” files on a single computer or an entire network, demanding payment in return for access.
The attacks have grown in scale and sophistication over the years, with the price tag now in the tens of billions each year.
Friday’s meeting of the Security Council was called for by France, Japan, Malta, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, the United Kingdom (President for November) and the United States.
