Israeli Medical Center Targeted by Ransomware Attack

Israeli Medical Center Targeted by Ransomware Attack

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The Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera has been targeted by a ransomware attack without prior notice. The medical center announced today that the attack affected its computer systems and there was a problem with the information systems, including backup computers. The hackers sent a ransom demand but did not specify the sum.

The medical center defined the incident as a critical failure and reported it immediately to the Health Ministry and National Cyber Directorate. 

The prevalence of ransomware continues to grow, reaching new highs. According to a 2021 report from FortiGuard Labs, ransomware grew by 1,070% between July 2020 and June of 2021.

In Israel, “one of 60 organizations or companies is targeted by a ransomware attack every week on average, a 30% increase compared to 2020,” according to a Checkpoint report. The major sectors targeted by ransomware have been education and research, communications and healthcare, with an average of 1443 attacks per organization weekly, according to globes.co.il. 

Interested in learning more about the latest developments in cybersecurity for critical infrastructure? Attend INNOTECH 2021 Cyber, HLS, and Innovation Event at Expo Tel Aviv, Nov. 17-18.