More than 20% of health care organizations surveyed by cybersecurity and compliance firm Proofpoint Inc. and the Ponemon Institute reported increased patient mortality rates following four common types of cyberattacks.

Cyber Insecurity in Healthcare: The Cost and Impact on Patient Safety and Care found that 89% of the surveyed organizations had suffered at least one cyberattack over the last 12 months.^[1]

The four most common types of attacks were: cloud compromise, ransomware, supply chain attacks, and business email compromise/spoofing/phishing, according to the survey. Nearly two-thirds of organizations said such attacks disrupted patient care, causing such issues as delays in procedures and tests that have resulted in poor outcomes, longer length of stay, an increase in patients transferred or diverted to other facilities, and an increase in complications from medical procedures.