When the Merry Ransomware Men Lost Their Way

The cybercriminals behind the recent ransomware attack on major NHS hospitals in London left Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest. They disrupted critical healthcare services, leading to the cancellation of over 200 emergency and life-saving operations, including procedures for cancer patients awaiting urgent diagnoses.

The details are chilling.

Hundreds of cancer patients urgently referred had appointments cancelled. Expectant mothers awaiting C-sections had their procedures postponed. Vital transplant operations have been derailed, and hospitals have been forced to reduce or halt their capacity for new admissions. Even routine blood transfusions have been impacted, exacerbating an already strained national blood supply.

This is not a case of robbing the rich to help the downtrodden. It is a brazen act of digital villainy that targets the ill and unwell without an ounce of ethical restraint. Ransomware gangs are motivated solely by greed, with no regard for the potential human cost.

This callous act of extortion has jeopardized the lives of some of society’s most vulnerable members – gravely ill patients in dire need of timely medical care.

Where is the honor among “cyber thieves”? What twisted moral compass guides individuals capable of such reprehensible actions that put innocent lives at risk?  The shield of a screen has destroyed even the prior slim Ransomware code of conduct for not causing any physical harm or threat of life for the innocent and infirm.

Unfortunately, ransomware gangs are an affiliate organization. While some may follow the “code” many operate without a shred of ethical restraint. They are largely motivated by greed, with no regard for the potential human cost of their cyber attacks.

Hospitals, with their troves of sensitive data and desperate need for operational continuity, have become lucrative targets for criminal enterprises.  Those cyber intrusions also result in massive physical implications to those in need of medical care.

The NHS attack should serve as a sobering wake-up call for the healthcare industry and governments worldwide. Robust cybersecurity measures and stringent identity access management protocols are no longer optional luxuries – they are imperative safeguards against these malicious acts of digital violence. But where does the healthcare industry and individual hospital systems stand in their efforts to protect critical infrastructure and data?  Did they or, are they answering the call?

We can no longer indulge in romanticized portrayals of cybercriminals as modern-day Robin Hoods. Ransomware gangs are not fighting for any noble cause; they are inflicting tremendous harm on innocent people for personal gain. Who will protect the innocent?

We shouldn’t have doubts about the person holding the scalpel or the availability of life-saving medical treatments. It is time to demand that hospitals fortify their defenses against nefarious attacks. With lives literally hanging in the balance and Robin Hood long gone, the public shouldn’t have to plead for accountability and compliance with our Patient Bill of Rights.