Ransomware Attack on Arzt-Auskunft: A Healthcare Services Provider

Company Overview

Arzt-Auskunft is a platform that provides information on doctors, dentists, psychotherapists, and other healthcare professionals in Germany. It offers a searchable database of healthcare providers, allowing users to find specialists based on their location and specific needs. The platform is designed to help patients find the right healthcare professional for their needs, including those with specific requirements such as accessibility for people with disabilities.

Company Size and Industry Standing

Arzt-Auskunft has a significant presence in the German healthcare market, with around 380,000 healthcare professionals listed on their platform. This indicates a substantial size for a healthcare services provider, making it a notable target for cybercriminals.

Vulnerabilities and Targeting

The healthcare sector is a common target for ransomware attacks due to the sensitive nature of the data they handle, including patient records and financial information. In the case of Arzt-Auskunft, the attackers likely targeted the company's digital infrastructure, exploiting vulnerabilities in their systems to gain access and deploy the ransomware. The specific vulnerabilities are not mentioned, but it is known that ransomware groups often use phishing campaigns, malicious websites, and other tactics to infiltrate their targets.

The ransomware attack on Arzt-Auskunft highlights the ongoing threat of cybercrime in the healthcare sector. As a significant player in the German healthcare market, Arzt-Auskunft was a valuable target for the Lockbit2 group. The attack underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measures for healthcare providers, including regular updates, employee training, and incident response planning.

Sources

• Arzt-Auskunft (https://www.arzt-auskunft.de)
• CISA, FBI, and HHS Joint Cybersecurity Advisory: Ransomware Activity Targeting the Healthcare and Public Health Sector (https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa20-302a)
• Molecules against Covid-19: An in silico approach for drug development (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7946544/)
• Lipinski's rule of five - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipinski%27s_rule_of_five)