This year witnessed the further spread of the disease we call ransomware. After seeing the profitability of this “revenue stream” in the consumer segment, cybercriminals are moving ever deeper into the business segment, looking for the most vulnerable victims.
Several cases of data encryption followed by extortion have been documented in a new sector, where vital services such as healthcare have been targeted in recent months. The infamous case of Hollywood Presbyterian hospital demonstrates how suffering a ransomware attack can cause direct financial losses – in this case $17,000 in BitCoins – as well as reputational damages.
