There was a time last year when people were asking whether Ransomware is really as much of a problem as it was a few years ago.

No longer.

This update shares what has been happening that has been giving cyber experts concern recently, together with some important steps that you can take to reduce the chances of your clinic from becoming a victim.

Today is International Privacy Day. And with this in mind, together with events taking place across the province over the coming week as part of "BC Aware", a major IT security awareness conference, here are some helpful materials, courtesy of Doctors of BC, that your medical clinic can use right now.

It has been a busy year since our last series of journal posts on clinic security. Thanks to work we have been doing with our healthcare clients in BC, we would like to update you on new developments and emerging best practice standards.

The emergence of ransomware as a worldwide issue reached its height in 2017, but it does not mean it has gone away. Worldwide ransomware attacks can be devastating. Could my clinic be affected? When I hear news of a massive attack underway, what can I do to protect myself?

• Here is a presentation we gave while an attack was actually underway. What we presented during the meeting are practical, low-cost steps that can help mitigate the risks of becoming a victim.

The Doctors Technology Office sounded the alarm that ransomware "is spreading like the plague. Healthcare organizations must know that they ARE a target and will be attacked.". This post covers:

• key information about the evolving and increasingly sophisticated nature of ransomware
• what your clinic can do to decrease the chances of being attacked, and help recover from it, should this occur.

We are excited to launch our new website today, in the midst of announcing a comprehensive new range of privacy and data security services specifically designed to support the health care community in western Canada.