The federal government warned that a group of Iranian cyber actors have conducted a number of attacks against U.S.-based entities, including healthcare organizations.
The FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Defense Cyber Crime Center Department said in an advisory the actors are attempting to work with ransomware affiliates to lock networks and find ways to extort victims.
Related: HHS, FBI issue phishing, ransomware attack advisory for providers
According to the advisory, an FBI investigation found actors were working in support of the Iranian government.
The warning comes at a time when health system cybersecurity executives are looking at their biggest points of weakness in the aftermath of large-scale breaches such as those at St. Louis-based health system Ascension, UnitedHealth Group's Change Healthcare and Chicago-based Lurie Children's Hospital.
In 2023, the number of individuals affected by healthcare data breaches reached new highs, with an equivalent of 40% of the U.S. population having their information stolen or otherwise exposed.
