Data Attacks On Healthcare Flying High

In the realm of privacy and security, heeding snooping employees and encrypting portable devices isn't enough in healthcare these days. Criminal attacks on hospitals are on a huge upward trend, with a whopping 100 percent reported increase just from four years ago. That’s according to a new Ponemon Institute study released today.

This year, 40 percent of healthcare organizations have reported a criminal data attack. And, business associates who are not yet compliant with HIPAA in addition to those employees given the green light to use their unsecured devices certainly are not helping these numbers, say Ponemon officials.

The news isn't all bad, however. Data breaches have actually slightly declined in recent years, but it's still no number meriting celebration, as breaches continue to cost the industry a pretty penny, $5.6 billion annually to be exact.