Ransomware attacks and cybersecurity concerns in modern hospitals: vulnerabilities and impacts on trauma centers and patient care

Healthcare facilities and systems are at extremely high risk of cyberattacks, with ransomware posing a significant threat to hospital operations and patient safety. Trauma centers are at particular risk for the many potential adverse impacts of a ransomware attack given the time and resource dependency of emergency trauma and surgical care. This review highlights current knowledge on ransomware, its mechanisms, types of attacks, prevention strategies, immediate and delayed response protocols, and the emerging role of artificial intelligence in both cybersecurity attacks and defensive efforts. Emphasis is placed on the unique vulnerabilities of healthcare systems, including legacy IT infrastructure and human factors, and on best practices to mitigate risks. Effective prevention strategies include regular employee training programs to heighten awareness, implementation of robust backup and recovery systems to minimize downtime, and continuous updating of IT infrastructure to close security gaps. The review highlights lessons learned from recent ransomware attacks against trauma centers, including the critical importance of institutional leadership, employee training, and robust backup systems to ensure resilience against ransomware incidents.