“Industrywide, there is a lack of attention to some of the common things that cause breaches and open companies up to ransomware,” Maley says. “We’re becoming immune to these types of things, as they happen more frequently. We’re seeing the same things across sectors. It’s a lack of attention to the basics.”
It’s not just hospitals and clinics, but Big (and Little) Pharma faces greater ransomware risks, even when heavily resourced—in theory. In 2020, 11 out of 53 ransomware attacks against health sector organizations targeted pharmaceutical companies, according to data that cybersecurity researchers at GroupSense shared with The Parallax. While the lion’s share of the attacks were against hospitals, it’s clear that pharmaceutical companies also make appealing targets to ransomware gangs.