Ransomware attacks against healthcare organizations are on the rise as their systems become a target for malicious actors. Griffin Hospital in Derby, CT, is one of the most recent victims of a ransomware incident.

The ransomware attack on Griffin Hospital took place on Nov. 16 and was part of a larger incident that targeted Managed.com, the hospital’s web hosting provider. Service users trying to access Managed.com and Griffin Hospital’s websites during this time received an error message. 

A spokesperson for Managed.com confirmed that a ransomware attack had taken place, but no patient health information was compromised during the incident. However, Managed.com did take down each of its customer’s websites as a result of the attack. 

While it is believed that personal health information was not exposed during the Griffin Hospital incident, not every ransomware victim is this fortunate. Being aware of the threat of ransomware and knowing what to look out for is essential to prevent major disruption to your organization. 

Ransomware often accesses a computer’s files via a phishing email. If the email is opened and the user clicks to download its contents, the ransomware can infect the computer and potentially the larger network in operation. The victim is often blackmailed into paying a large sum of money in exchange for regaining access to their files. However, even if the victim pays the bribe, there is no way to be sure that their access will be restored, and their data will still be compromised.

How to Protect Your Business From Ransomware Attacks

With ransomware attacks on the rise, businesses need to do everything they can to protect themselves and to avoid falling victim to an attack.

Cyber criminals are increasingly becoming more sophisticated in their tactics and are continually finding new ways to infiltrate IT systems. In the past, a strong password and awareness of the threat of cyberattacks were often enough to keep systems safe. Nowadays, a more robust approach is needed to protect your company from malicious attacks and data breaches. 

Human error is still a common cause of ransomware attacks. Providing your employees with security training will help them to recognize the signs of a threat, and prepare them on how to deal with this without putting your IT systems at risk.

Regularly checking that your employees have the appropriate access levels to your systems is also vital. Members of your team should only have access to systems that they need to use, and permissions for employees that have left the organization or changed roles should be removed.

Protecting your business from ransomware is not an easy task. The best way to ensure that your Connecticut business does not become victim to an attack is to use a professional IT company in Hartford. Your IT service provider will be able to use the latest online security solutions to keep your business protected and help to prevent significant damage to your business and its reputation.