Cybersecurity in the healthcare sector is an increasingly urgent priority, especially in an era of advanced digitalization. During the conference “The cyber threat to the healthcare sector”, held at the Brotzu hospital in Cagliari, the President of the Region Alessandra Todd highlighted the nneed for greater awareness of cyber risksi. Hackers attacks against public bodies and healthcare companies demonstrate the importance of pprotect citizens' sensitive data to avoid serious economic and social repercussions. The Sardinia Region is committed to strengthening digital security and promoting greater training of healthcare and administrative personnel.

Yesterday morning, Friday 14 February, the conference was held at the Aula Atza of the Brotzu hospital in Cagliari "The Cyber ​​Threat to the Healthcare Sector” organized by Ares Sardegna in the presence of the deputy director general of the National Cybersecurity Agency Nunzia Ciardi and many experts in the sector.

In his institutional greeting the President of the Region Alessandra Todde he wanted to underline how "Cybersecurity is a topic that involves everyone and will be increasingly so given the digitalization that we are carrying forward in all regional services: we cannot think of being a modern region if we are unable to protect ourselves from this point of view“, he guaranteed.

In his speech The president thanked the organizers and the many participants in the room crowded for “the important initiative not only to understand cyber threats but also to make people understand the role of the people who have in their hands the data of citizens who use health services".

"If we also did a survey among ourselves – continued Todde – a low awareness of cybersecurity risks would emerge because they seem distant from us, even among those who handle sensitive information on a daily basis. The recent cyber attacks that have hit local authorities and health companies, such as the case of the Municipality of Sorso blocked for days by a ransomware (a software that blocks access to data and is unlocked by criminals after a ransom is paid, ed), demonstrate how urgent it is to strengthen the security of digital systems".

"Health data – President Todde remarked – represent an extremely delicate and attractive asset for external parties. Unauthorized access to this information can have serious consequences, not only in terms of privacy, but also from an economic and social point of view. The risk that this information is used for commercial purposes or for discrimination in the workplace is real and must be addressed with the utmost seriousness".

The President of the Region finally underlined how the Region "is working to raise security levels and promote greater awareness among public employees. In fact, violations often start from human errors or careless behavior, such as the use of weak passwords or poor protection of access to computer systems. It is essential that anyone working within healthcare and administrative structures acquire greater sensitivity to these aspects".