Swatting: Cyber Attacks on Healthcare

In a concerning trend, cybercriminals are using a tactic called “swatting” to target medical institutions via their patients, aiming to coerce hospitals into paying ransoms. Swatting involves making repeated false reports to the police about individuals, leading armed authorities to unsuspecting victims’ homes. 

Threat actors are pressuring US hospitals by threatening patients with swatting incidents unless a ransom is paid. This extreme form of prank-calling has escalated to involve bomb threats and other serious allegations, forcing authorities to intervene in patients’ homes.

The attackers believe that by applying this pressure on hospitals, they can secure a ransom payment. A recent incident at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle involved stolen medical records, and the threat actors escalated by targeting patients with the swatting technique. 

This disturbing tactic not only puts patients at risk but also adds an extra layer of urgency for hospitals to meet ransom demands. It highlights the high-stakes nature of cyber threats against medical institutions. 

When faced with cybercriminals making swatting threats, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center took immediate action. They alerted the FBI and local police, who collaborated on investigating these threats as

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