As first reported by McKnight’s Senior Living, senior living and long-term care facilities are experiencing a sharp rise in cyberattacks, placing the sector squarely in the sights of cybercriminals. According to Proofpoint, 92% of healthcare organizations faced a cyber incident in 2024—up from 88% the year prior. The volume of attacks has skyrocketed, with Health Leaders reporting an average of 2,434 attacks per week during Q3 2024, marking an 81% year-over-year increase.
Breaches Disrupt Care for Thousands
In the first quarter of 2025 alone, more than six nursing homes and rehabilitation centers suffered major breaches affecting over 130,000 individuals, according to Information Security Media Group’s Marianne Kolbasuk McGee. These incidents have led to compromised medical records, treatment delays, and widespread operational disruptions, exposing the fragility of digital systems that support elder care.
Underprepared and Overexposed
The sector’s vulnerability stems from increased reliance on connected devices and a historical lag in cybersecurity investment. “The increased use of technology, digitization and modernization has historically lagged behind the rest of healthcare,” noted Andy Flatt, CIO at National HealthCare Corp. Trend Micro’s Greg Young added that healthcare’s tendency to pay ransoms further incentivizes attacks. Email phishing remains the most common entry point, with Tranzion CISO Ben Hicks warning that employee clicks on malicious links are still the number one threat.
Experts urge immediate action: boosting staff awareness, tightening email security, and establishing robust incident response plans.
