Browse Author: Josh Wardini


For six years now, data breaches of healthcare-related data have been increasing rapidly. This trend reflects the growing interest which cybercriminals have in the healthcare industry and the data to be found in healthcare organizations.

In fact, stolen medical data can be used in the creation of new medical products or be sold on the underground market, so it is easy to see why such records are so valuable.

Electronic health records contain lots of personal data used during the healthcare process and can be accessed through special software. This software may contain data such as dates of birth, insurance IDs, financial information and social security numbers.

The value in this data lies in the nature of it: this information cannot be changed like a credit card number can. A social security number or date of birth are permanent values which have a longer shelf life on the underground market.

According to research made by Best VPNs, healthcare related data is one of the most valuable types of information for criminals because it can be used to craft many things, such as insurance cards, identities, and drivers’ licenses. Cybercriminals can use the prescription information to procure and get a hold of drugs, insurance IDs can be used to acquire insurance and social security numbers can be used for fraudulent purposes.

It is no wonder why, then, that healthcare institutions are some of the most commonly attacked organizations by cybercriminals. As cybercrime grows at a rapid pace, healthcare institutions are going to be under attack like never before.

Want to learn more about cybercrime? Check out our infographic below.


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