Hackers and Cybercriminals are active and thriving, as per an Armor report. And, the black market is selling off credentials of previously un-hacked RDP’s for as low as USD 20. It is important to note here that these are popular entry points of ransomwares. The report by the security provider’s Threat Resistance Unit (TRU) is a compilation of data from 12 dark markets. And, it covers both English and Russian speaking zones.
The team highlights 161 reported ransomware attacks in a month and believes there are thousands unreported ones out there. Additionally, these cases include healthcare records, even though the number of such digital stores is less than those selling illicit goods and services.
Why Sale of Healthcare Records in Black Market is a Serious Issue?
Medical records offer elements that help in identity theft. From full name and address to birth date and phone numbers, these contain critical patient information. Moreover, some have social security number and credit or debit cards details. As per Chris Hinkley, Director of Armor TRU, the team at Armor found that these records were sold at an average of USD 408 in 2018. Also, the report noted that in 2019, 27 healthcare organisations saw such attacks. And, since healthcare organizations cannot afford to lose this information even for a short while, top-notch security measures are a must.
As per Hinkley, the type of threats that organizations are currently seeing will evolve with time. Especially, the move towards cloud-based micro-services in particular and digital ecosystem in general, the issue will get more challenging. This will in fact make the security requirement more specialized. Thus, it is important for them to stay a step ahead of the hackers. Companies such as Armor are on their way to keep the digital world safer.
