By: Ram Narayanan, Country Manager at Check Point Software Technologies, Middle East
The healthcare industry is rooted in precision, care, and trust. While it continues to lead in medical innovation, its digital transformation has not kept pace. Beneath the surface of modern clinical advancements lies a fragmented digital infrastructure — often outdated, under-secured and increasingly vulnerable.
Healthcare organizations around the world are experiencing a surge in cyberattacks. According to Check Point Software’s latest threat intelligence report, the global healthcare sector has seen an average of 2,387 cyberattacks per organization per week over the past six months. As the industry becomes more digitally interconnected, its exposure to cyber threats continues to escalate. However, modernization of core digital systems remains inconsistent across the sector—leaving critical vulnerabilities unaddressed.
In the Middle East, that number is even higher—reaching 2,677 attacks per week per healthcare organization. These figures underscore a growing reality: healthcare providers are operating in an environment of persistent and escalating cyber pressure, where the threat landscape is becoming increasingly complex and unforgiving.
In one tragic case that underscores this reality, a UK hospital trust recently confirmed a patient’s death was linked to delays caused by a cyberattack on NHS pathology systems— illustrating that cyber security in healthcare is no longer just an IT concern, but a matter of life and death.
Despite the rising frequency and severity of attacks, many healthcare organizations remain slow to act. For many providers, uncertainty about how to upgrade safely — without disrupting critical services — has led to prolonged delays. But inaction has opened the door to serious security gaps. The result? Vulnerabilities that cybercriminals are all too eager to exploit.
The Security Cost of Inaction
Many healthcare organizations remain hesitant to overhaul their IT environments—largely out of caution, complexity or compliance concerns. But that hesitancy is leaving real vulnerabilities exposed.
- A recent Middle East Health report found that over 72% of hospitals in the region are lagging behind on basic security measures, especially in securing connected medical devices (IoMT) and network systems
- Globally, 75% of healthcare organizations rely on legacy systems that lack modern security updates—leaving systems open to known exploits
- According to Dialog Health, 24% of major healthcare security incidents were ultimately traced back to outdated IT or unsupported software
- These vulnerabilities facilitate real-world threats: in 2024, 34% of cyberattacks on healthcare organizations involved exploiting software vulnerabilities—evidence that outdated systems are actively targeted
Outdated infrastructure isn’t just inefficient—it’s dangerous.
A Real-World Example: Healthcare – Targeted Phishing
Cybercriminals are exploiting these weak points with increasing sophistication. The Check Point Research team recently uncovered a targeted phishing campaign aimed at healthcare organizations. Attackers impersonated well-known medical scheduling services like Zocdoc, sending emails that used real doctor images with fake names and fictitious clinic references. These emails instructed recipients to call a phone number—where attackers, posing as healthcare providers, attempted to extract sensitive information. Powered by real-time threat intelligence, Check Point’s Harmony Email & Collaboration blocked over 7,000 phishing emails—effectively preventing the campaign from reaching nearly 300 targeted organizations.
Why Healthcare Remains a High-Value Target
The cyber criminals behind these healthcare-focused attacks aim to steal sensitive employee/consumer data. Here’s why:
- Healthcare data can independently command premium prices on the dark web, making this pursuit extremely lucrative for cyber criminals.
- Personal health data can be processed and packaged with additional illicitly obtained private data. In turn, cyber criminals can create “identity kits” that can be sold and used to support a variety of criminal exploits.
- Cyber criminals can leverage sensitive healthcare data in order to conduct psychological warfare. They can threaten to expose people’s personal information to extort them financially, to blackmail them, and more.
- Exposed data may enable cyber criminals or data buyers to obtain medical services or prescriptions that are in the victim’s name. Nefarious persons may attempt to resell prescription medications for profit, for example.
- In the event that a clinic’s medical records are altered by cyber criminals, victims may receive incorrect treatments and suffer from dangerous medical errors. Cyberattacks on healthcare are no longer abstract IT incidents—they’re patient safety threats.
What Healthcare Organizations Can Do Right Now
Healthcare institutions don’t need to overhaul their entire infrastructure overnight. But they can — and must — take decisive steps to reduce their exposure and build resilience:
- Strengthen email security with AI-powered tools – Deploy AI-based email filtering like Check Point SmartPhish to block phishing attempts before they interrupt workflows or reach patient-facing staff.
- Equip employees to be the first line of defense – Run regular phishing simulations and awareness programs to help staff recognize and report suspicious activity confidently.
- Establish clear incident response protocols – Ensure teams know exactly what to do — and who to notify — when they detect potential threats, so action can be taken without delay.
- Protect mobile and remote endpoints – Secure devices used in hospitals, clinics or offsite settings with endpoint security tools that prevent unauthorized access and data leakage.
- Integrate layered, proactive cyber security – Adopt interoperable platforms like Harmony Email & Collaborationthat provide protection across email, collaboration apps and endpoints — all without disrupting day-to-day operations.
Final Word
Cyber security is no longer just a technical requirement — it’s a core pillar of patient safety. As healthcare grows more digital, protecting the systems behind care delivery is as critical as the care itself. The risks are rising, but so are the solutions. Modernization doesn’t have to disrupt—it has to begin. Because in healthcare, hesitation can come at too high a cost.
