WHO, 50 countries warn of ransomware attacks on hospitals

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and some 50 countries issued a warning on Nov 8 at the United Nations about the rise of ransomware attacks against hospitals, with the US specifically blaming Russia.

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Ransomware is a type of digital blackmail in which hackers encrypt the data of victims - individuals, companies or institutions - and demand money as a "ransom" in order to restore it.

Such attacks on hospitals "can be issues of life and death," according to WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who addressed the UN Security Council during a meeting on Nov 8 called by the US.