2024 Study on Cyber Insecurity in Healthcare

This technical report presents findings from the 2024 study on cyber insecurity in healthcare, focusing on the costs and impacts on patient safety and care. Conducted by the Ponemon Institute, the study surveyed 648 IT and IT security practitioners in healthcare organizations to assess the progress in mitigating human-centric cybersecurity risks. The report reveals that 92 percent of organizations experienced at least one cyberattack in the past year, with an average cost of $4.74 million for the most expensive incident. The report categorizes cyberattacks into four types: cloud/account compromise, supply chain attacks, ransomware, and business email compromise. It details the consequences of these attacks on patient care, highlighting that nearly 70 percent of organizations reported disruptions, with significant impacts on patient outcomes, including increased complications and mortality rates. The report also discusses trends in cybersecurity strategies and the importance of effective measures to protect sensitive patient data.