Testing the security of medical institutions, researchers found 24.3 million medical records unprotected. SC Magazine reported that the records spanned 52 countries and contained patient names, birthdays, examination dates, and miscellaneous medical information. Also among the data were 737 million images, including X-rays and lab results. Digging for explanations, researchers discovered vulnerabilities, some several years old, in the databases and apps that held the data. If they had been patched and updated, the leaks might have been prevented. Some researchers are calling for the medical field to give more careful consideration to whether or not certain information should be accessible online. “The medical industry faces a difficult issue in this area,” said Avast Security Evangelist Luis Corrons. “In some cases expensive medical equipment includes outdated Windows versions, requiring extra effort to protect and isolate those computers.”
