A new pattern of ransomware attacks made one thing clear: these incidents are no longer just about stolen data or locked billing systems. They now threaten the very infrastructure that healthcare depends on. Within a matter of months in 2024, three major health supply-chain players – plasma manufacturer Octapharma, medical device company Synovis, and blood supplier OneBlood – were hit by ransomware, causing ripple effects that extended far beyond their IT departments.
The fallout was immediate and far-reaching. OneBlood had to delay critical blood distribution across Florida and the surrounding areas. Synovis faced supply chain disruptions that jeopardized surgery schedules in the greater London area. Octapharma’s halted operations affected both drug production and clinical trials across 22 US states.
Each incident underscored a growing reality: Ransomware has evolved from an IT headache into an operational crisis. The threat now spans the full spectrum of healthcare delivery, endangering not just patient records but patient outcomes and public trust.
Attacks Are Evolving
Previously, ransomware would follow a simple formula: lock up a victim’s data, demand payment, and then move on. But today’s attacks are more aggressive and more damaging. Groups like the Medusa ransomware gang – linked to more than 300 attacks on critical systems – now employ a strategy known as “double extortion.” They don’t just block access to data; they also steal it and threaten to release it publicly unless a ransom is paid.
What’s especially alarming is how these attackers get in. Instead of forcing their way through digital defenses, they often purchase stolen login credentials on the dark web, then quietly infiltrate networks using everyday software, such as remote desktop tools. Because they use legitimate programs, their activity can be hard to spot.
Once inside, they sometimes take things further by using outdated or poorly secured software components to shut down antivirus protections. This tactic, known in cybersecurity circles as “bring your own vulnerable driver” or BYOVD, leaves defenders in the dark, just when they need to respond the most. These aren’t random attacks anymore. They’re calculated, well-planned campaigns designed to hit healthcare systems where it hurts and keep them down for as long as possible to maximize ransom payouts.
Healthcare organizations can take several critical steps to reduce their exposure, including implementing and enforcing multi-factor authentication, keeping systems and software up to date with the latest patches, regularly backing up systems, and segmenting networks to prevent attackers from easily moving between administrative and clinical systems. Periodic staff training on phishing and social engineering tactics also remains essential, since many attacks begin with a single compromised account.
But even the most well-prepared organizations are not immune. As ransomware campaigns become more coordinated and far-reaching, internal defenses alone are no longer enough. Resilience now depends on situational awareness, shared intelligence, and coordinated
response across the entire healthcare ecosystem.
Implementing a Sector-Wide Response
As the healthcare attack surface expands, it’s increasingly clear that ransomware is no longer a challenge any single organization can tackle alone. The recent attacks on Octapharma and OneBlood demonstrated the far-reaching impact that extends beyond the healthcare facilities themselves. When a critical supplier is compromised, downstream providers – such as hospitals and clinics – can face severe disruptions, including delays in blood transfusions or access to essential medications.
In today’s interconnected healthcare ecosystem, no entity operates in isolation. This reality makes cross-border and cross-sector collaboration essential. Cybercriminals operate without regard for national boundaries, and our defenses must be equally borderless. By sharing timely threat intelligence with international partners, government agencies, and industry peers, we create a stronger, more resilient collective defense that can anticipate and mitigate attacks before they escalate.
A prime example of effective collaboration is the 2021 disruption of the HIVE ransomware group. HIVE was one of the most prolific ransomware gangs globally, notorious for attacking critical infrastructure sectors, including healthcare. The group’s attacks often involved encrypting victim systems and demanding substantial ransoms, sometimes accompanied by threats to release stolen sensitive data publicly. Their ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) model allowed affiliates to launch attacks while HIVE’s core operators handled ransom negotiations and payouts, making the group both scalable and difficult to trace.
In response, a coordinated international law enforcement operation, comprising agencies including the FBI, Europol, and cybersecurity firms, targeted HIVE’s infrastructure and key actors. This joint effort not only dismantled significant portions of HIVE’s network but also provided decryption keys and recovery support to dozens of affected healthcare organizations. The operation demonstrated the power of global cooperation in fighting ransomware, highlighting that since cybercriminals work across borders, so must defenders.
It’s Time to Think Globally
The HIVE example yields a powerful moral: the future of cyber defense lies in collaboration. What’s more, that collaboration needs to transcend borders. Healthcare today is inherently global. From multinational research cooperatives and international pharmaceutical supply chains to telemedicine services and cloud-based patient data management, cross-border interdependence permeates every aspect of care delivery. Cyber adversaries exploit this complexity, leveraging global infrastructure and networks to launch attacks that transcend geography.
Yet, many health sector organizations still treat cybersecurity primarily as a domestic issue. This narrow perspective is a significant vulnerability. A ransomware variant detected in Australia one day could easily appear in a U.S. hospital the next. A breach in a European biotech company can have cascading effects on clinical trials and medical supplies worldwide.
To counter these threats, health sector entities must actively build partnerships with Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs), cybersecurity authorities, and regulatory bodies – not just locally but internationally. Health-ISAC, for example, offers real-time threat intelligence, mitigation guidance, and incident coordination resources tailored to healthcare organizations of all sizes across more than 140 countries. Hospitals can also benefit from collaborating with regional partners, including academic medical centers and public health agencies, to conduct cross-organizational cybersecurity drills and simulate coordinated responses to ransomware attacks.
These practical steps are especially critical for smaller providers that may not have the in-house resources to track emerging threats or respond quickly to attacks. By participating in broader coalitions and adopting shared threat detection tools and response protocols, they gain the visibility and support needed to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated adversaries.
The future of healthcare cybersecurity depends on fostering a culture of shared vigilance. We need more transparency, more cooperation, and more joint action. Only through shared data, aligned strategies, and coordinated responses can we protect the entire healthcare ecosystem.
