Emergency services a likely target for cyberattacks, warns DHS – By Josh Margolin and Sasha Pezenik (ABC News) / April 17, 2024
Ransomware attacks in particular threaten to disrupt services.
Calling 911 is meant to save lives. But the emergency service, and others like it, are also viewed as ripe targets for criminally minded cyber-attackers, according to a new federal assessment – and any vulnerability in those critical networks can expose victims to a multitude of dangerous ripple effects.
The analysis, compiled by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and obtained by ABC News, outlines concerns that the Emergency Service Sector can be exploited and mined for sensitive data, in turn hampering medical and law enforcement services and posing an ongoing threat to personal information and public safety.
“Cybercriminal exploitation of data stolen during ransomware attacks against the Emergency Service Sector (ESS) likely poses a persistent criminal threat due to the exposure and availability of victims’ personal information,” according to the April 10 bulletin.
CONTINUE > https://abcnews.go.com/US/emergency-services-target-cyberattacks-warns-dhs/story?id=109348647
