Global healthcare attacks are up 78 percent year over year, with an average of 1,426 intrusion attempts per week.

In Belgium, the average is 1,795 attacks per week, making the healthcare sector the most affected sector. According to RBC, around 30 percent of all data worldwide is currently generated by industry.

The Belgian healthcare sector is one of the most affected sectors worldwide. A study by Check Point shows that most attacks come from the US (53%), UK (27%) and Germany (5%). 65 percent of attack attempts are made via email, 35 percent via the Internet.

“Threat levels continue to rise and the consequences can only get worse. Such attacks can not only disrupt the activities of these healthcare organizations, but also result in loss of life if services are prevented,” explains Zahier Madhar, security engineer expert at Check Point Belgium.

The healthcare sector is vulnerable for a number of reasons. The increasing complexity and volume of cyber attacks and the current shortage of skilled workers make the sector vulnerable. Many hospitals rely on a mix of old and new technologies that are usually not managed directly or are forgotten due to incorrect documentation.