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Strengthening Cybersecurity at Medical Institutions: Long-Term Risks to Patient Care from Ransomware Attacks

Security1 min read

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) plans to greatly strengthen cybersecurity at medical institutions next fiscal year. The move comes after ransomware attacks, which lock up data and demand money, threatened hospitals and could disrupt patient care for a long time.

What happened

The MHLW wants to make hospital cybersecurity much stronger. In its budget request for fiscal 2027, it listed 13.7 billion yen for this work. The ministry said that stronger defenses are needed to keep medical care running reliably. Hackers have not only attacked companies, but also hospitals.

Key numbers and facts

  • Budget for medical cybersecurity in fiscal 2027 request: 13.7 billion yen
  • Budget in fiscal 2026 (initial budget): 100 million yen
  • In February, personal data of about 130,000 patients and staff was leaked at Nippon Medical School Musashikosugi Hospital in Kawasaki
  • Many hospitals have many outside connection points, such as maintenance VPN devices, which are hard to manage and watch

Why hospitals are at risk

When a hospital is hit by ransomware, its electronic medical records can become unusable. This can slow or stop treatment for a long time. A survey by the ministry and others found that many hospitals lack cybersecurity experts. In hospital attacks, the entry point was often a weak connection point that had not been fixed.

What to watch

  • How the MHLW's plan to combine outside connection points makes them easier to manage and watch
  • How IPA's list of experts is used to find skilled staff for hospitals
  • How quickly hospitals get help when a cyber incident first happens

Why it matters

Hospitals hold very private health information, and doctors need their computer systems to treat patients. If those systems stop, patient safety can be at risk. This plan shows that the government sees hospital cybersecurity as a basic part of safe healthcare.

Glossary

IPA
Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan; a public body that works on IT and security, including making lists of experts.

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