Last year, French hospitals suffered more than 250 cyberattacks

According to the Digital Health Agency, 581 incidents were recorded last year in hospitals and medico-social establishments. Among them, more than 250 are cyberattacks.

Indeed, medical establishments remain a favored target for cyberterrorists. In 2023, more than 250 cyberattacks have been recorded. This does not represent a particular increase, with a figure remaining stable from one year to the next, but it nevertheless remains worrying.

Hospitals (again and again) targeted by cyberterrorists

Indeed, if hospitals are among the preferred targets, biology laboratories are also targeted, as are certain nursing homes. For cyberterrorists, it is often a question of getting their hands on private data, and sometimes of undermining the entire IT structure (but not only) of an establishment.

Still according to the ANS, attacks manifest themselves in several forms, sometimes going as far as ransom demands in order, for hospitals in particular, to recover valuable data.

At the microphone of FranceinfoOlivier Ruet-Cros, analyst at the Digital Health Agency, however wants to be reassuring: “ Prevention systems are starting to work. The better things go, the more we are able to have reports reaching us upstream, so before it becomes too critical. »

Towards increased security over the months?

According to the Digital Health Agency, the certification of health data hosts (HDS) ensures the security of health data hosting. In force since November 2017, it is one of the first pillars of digital health regulation in France.

To date, 302 actors have been certified. Nine organizations are accredited by the French accreditation committee (COFRAC) to carry out these certifications. Health data hosts already HDS certified will have to obtain the new HDS certification, in accordance with a new HDS standard, within 24 months, i.e. no later than May 16, 2026.

At the beginning of the year, we remember that the Armentières hospital (North) was the subject, in the middle of the night, of a ransomware attack. The emergency rooms were notably closed throughout the weekend, for security reasons.

Source : France TV