The fact that healthcare is a big attraction for hackers is confirmed by the latest incident in Italy. Unknown attackers attacked the COVID-19 vaccination booking system of the Italian region of Lazio, where the metropolis of Rome is located.
Computer systems remained disabled, which led to a significant slowdown in the vaccination programme.
The services related to booking an appointment for vaccination were only made available after 72 hours. Alessio D’Amato, from the regional health authority, suspected that the attack may be linked to the 70 per cent vaccination coverage of the population that the Lazio region has achieved.
The Italian anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office has taken over the investigation of the case.
The attack came from overseas, and according to investigators, hackers attacked the computer of a region employee who worked at the home office.
It is the lack of security of IT systems and poor knowledge of the issues involved in the transition to working from home that has been one of the biggest reasons for recent cyber attacks.
“Few companies are able to provide employees with the same quality and security at home as in the office,” confirms Rudolf Latiak, CEO of GAMO, a company that deals with cybersecurity solutions. “Plus it is still true that the biggest risk is the human factor. Users don’t realise that their lax approach can give hackers important data,” he adds.
The number of cyber-attacks is increasing year by year. However, the increase was significant during the pandemic.
“It is safe to assume that similar attacks will increase. And not only in the healthcare sector. Private companies, but also state institutions, should take care about security and take steps that lead to better prevention. Preparedness to respond to a threat is a crucial factor in an incident,” concludes Rudolf Latiak.
