AI provides an urgent solution to evolving ransomware threats facing healthcare

Artificial intelligence that can quickly identify patterns of risky behavior may be the only viable solution to protect health systems against an influx of ransomware attacks. The use of AI in the clinical environment has been well-documented as more health systems are turning to machine learning to improve oncology care, fight physician burnout, boost patient engagement and even reverse diabetes. But healthcare needs to use the power of machine learning to combat cybersecurity threats, according to a report (PDF) released by the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology. James Scott, a senior fellow at ICIT who authored the report, didn't mince words regarding the urgent need to protect patient information against cyberattacks, particularly ransomware, which has emerged as a critical threat to the industry over the past year. Scott noted that the healthcare industry "demonstrates lackadaisical cyber hygiene, finagled and Frankensteined networks, virtually unanimous absence of security operations teams and good ol' boys club bureaucratic board members flexing little more than smoke and mirror, cybersecurity theatrics as their organizational defense."