Patients in more than half of Polish hospitals do not have access to Wi-Fi, according to a study conducted by Biostat at the request of Fortinet. In just one fifth of hospitals, Internet access is provided everywhere. More than half of the branches that do not provide Internet access do not plan to change this.
Patients in hospitals do not have access to the Internet
Published Oct. 31, 2022 08:09
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It turns out that only 5 percent. in hospitals where Wi-Fi is available, patients can use it without any restrictions in any room. In every third facility, access is guaranteed only in selected places in the building. In turn, in a quarter of hospitals Wi-Fi is available without limits or the need to provide a password, but only in separate rooms. The most popular security for access to a wireless network, present in 45 percent. branches, there is a publicly available password.
Those institutions that implement wireless Internet must take into account the risk of cyber attacks on IT infrastructure. This is also influenced by the phenomenon called Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), which involves the use of private devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to connect to the corporate network. In a situation where such equipment becomes infected with malware, cybercriminals can gain access not only to private user data, but also to the facility's confidential information through this device.
Fraudsters can also create a fake network with an authentic-sounding name but no need to enter a password. The mechanism connected to it usually collects data of devices connected to the Wi-Fi network by unaware users.
Cybercriminals also have the knowledge and tools to break into routers and then install malware remotely. After connecting to a given network, patients may unknowingly infect their device and, for example, use online banking to provide their login details to fraudsters.
Actual. on the basis of press release
