National Cybersecurity Authority outlines measures to protect healthcare systems

The Greek National Cybersecurity Authority has issued guidelines to safeguard healthcare infrastructure against cyberattacks. Such attacks can paralyze hospital operations, leading to canceled surgeries, delayed emergency treatments, and blocked access to electronic patient records, laboratory results, and medication management systems.

Cyber threats often involve ransomware, where hackers lock files and demand payment, or the theft of personal and medical data for extortion or public leaks. The authority highlighted recent European incidents to illustrate the severity of these risks. In January 2026, a cyberattack on AZ Monica hospital in Belgium resulted in at least 70 canceled surgeries and the transfer of seven critical patients to other facilities. Additionally, an April 2026 attack on the Dutch software company ChipSoft disrupted digital hospital services and led to the theft of sensitive medical data.

According to European Commission data, there have been 309 significant cybersecurity incidents recorded within the European healthcare sector.