According to Gov Info Security*, Emergency medical device provider based in the US Zoll Medical is notifying more than 1 million individuals – including employees, patients and former patients – of a hacking incident that compromised their personal information.
The company told Information Security Media Group that the cybersecurity incident affects current and former users of the company’s LifeVest device – a wearable cardioverter defibrillator worn by patients at high risk of sudden cardiac death. The incident illustrates how deeply networked connectivity has penetrated the medical device market.
Personal and health information can make a powerful bargaining tool when it comes to ransom demands. When the amount of data also creeps into the millions, it can have a tremendous amount of weight. The healthcare sector is one of the most targeted industries and with a number of ransomware groups specifically targeting health organisations, it makes it all the more worrying.
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This is not the first time Zoll have been affected which reiterates the fact that criminal groups circle back to attack previously targeted companies in the hope that preventative measures are still not on board. The healthcare industry need not reminding the importance of keeping their data protected and that the impact of such an attack can have on the people and organisations involved. Those affected now must look out for phishing attacks, account takeovers and identity thefts.
*ESET does not bear any responsibility for the accuracy of this information
ESET Ireland 
Great article! It’s concerning to hear about another hacking incident in the healthcare industry, particularly one that affects such a large number of individuals. My question for the author is, what specific steps can companies like Zoll take to prevent these types of cyber attacks and protect their patients’ personal and health information? Are there any new technologies or approaches being developed in this area? Great job on the post!
P.T