EU unveils plan to protect hospitals from cyberattacks
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — The European Union (EU) has announced a bold initiative to counter the growing number of cyberattacks targeting hospitals and healthcare providers. With ransomware attacks and data breaches becoming alarmingly frequent, the EU’s plan aims to safeguard critical health services and protect sensitive patient information.
In 2023, the EU reported 309 significant cybersecurity incidents in the healthcare sector—more than in any other critical industry. These attacks, which often involve hackers encrypting data or blocking access to essential systems until a ransom is paid, can disrupt medical treatments and jeopardize lives.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also raised alarms, with Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warning that ransomware attacks on hospitals “can be issues of life and death.”
EU cybersecurity support center: Key features
To address these threats, the EU plans to establish a pan-European cybersecurity support center dedicated to assisting hospitals and healthcare providers. The initiative will focus on:
- Encouraging the use of robust data backup systems
- Training staff to better respond to cyber threats
- Expanding access to ransomware decryption tools for recovery
The proposal also discourages paying ransoms, instead emphasizing preventive measures and recovery strategies to minimize disruptions.
Member states’ role in healthcare protection
As part of the broader strategy, the EU is calling on its 27 member states to develop national cybersecurity plans tailored to their unique risks. These plans aim to ensure uninterrupted patient care while protecting sensitive health data. The European Commission has pledged further collaboration with stakeholders in the healthcare sector to finalize a more detailed action plan by the end of 2025.
“Prevention is better than cure, so we need to prevent cyberattacks from happening,” said Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s tech chief. “But if they happen, we need to have everything in place to detect them and to quickly respond and recover.”
Health Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi stressed the importance of trust in digital systems, saying, “Patients must feel confident that their most sensitive information is secure. Health care professionals must have faith in the systems they use daily to save lives.”
A critical step forward
With cyber threats continuing to rise, this initiative represents a significant step toward fortifying Europe’s healthcare systems against digital vulnerabilities.
By combining preventive measures with rapid response capabilities, the EU aims to ensure that hospitals remain resilient in the face of evolving cyber risks.
