On November 8th, the World Health Organization (WHO) and representatives from more than 50 countries issued a joint warning at the United Nations about the increase in ransomware attacks targeting hospitals worldwide.
Ransomware is a type of cyberattack targeting victims' data – from individuals and companies to critical organizations – where hackers encrypt the data and demand a ransom to restore it.
According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, these attacks, when targeting hospitals, can have serious consequences in terms of human lives.
Speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting proposed by the United States, Tedros Ghebreyesus said: “Surveys show that attacks on the healthcare sector have increased in both scale and frequency.” He also emphasized the importance of international cooperation to address this issue.
The joint statement, signed by more than 50 countries including South Korea, Japan, Argentina, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, warned that these attacks not only threaten public security but also cause economic damage and jeopardize international peace and security.
Ransomware is not just a technical problem, but also a humanitarian one, as these malware attacks disrupt essential healthcare services, putting patients at risk.
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