A hospital room can hold 10 to 20 networked devices, each vital to care—and each a potential doorway for attackers. We sit down with Phil Englert, VP of Medical Device Security at Health ISAC, to explore how connected care improves outcomes while reshaping risk, and why building resilience and rapid recovery plans is now as critical as prevention.

The conversation explores how healthcare’s rapid digitization has improved patient outcomes while dramatically increasing cyber risk, making hospitals lucrative, constantly targeted entities. Dr. C.S. Kruse traces his path from Army Medical Service Corps IT specialist to academic leader and prolific researcher in health IT and cybersecurity, emphasizing both technology’s clinical benefits and its “dark side.”He and host Dan Dodson discuss AI as a dual-use tool, underinvestment and budget tensions, ransomware-driven clinical disruptions, basic but often-missed security practices, EU-style cyber resiliency standards, and the need for stronger policy, mandatory reporting, and resilient clinical workflows when systems fail.

Alarms don’t always sound when hospitals are under attack. Sometimes the first signal is a locked EHR, diverted ambulances, and a clinical team scrambling to deliver care without the tools they trained on. We sit down with Butzel attorney Claudia Rast—leader of cybersecurity and AI practices and former co-chair of the ABA’s presidential cybersecurity task force—to unpack how threat actors use agentic AI, why ransom demands can look rational in a crisis, and what real resilience looks like when patient safety is on the line.

The alarms aren’t just in the data center anymore. When ransomware shutters clinics and pushes oncology schedules into chaos, the question isn’t “What did they exfiltrate?” It’s “Who didn’t get care?” We sit down with Jen Ellis, founder of NextGen Security and co-chair of the Ransomware Task Force, to unpack how cybersecurity in healthcare became a patient safety issue—and what it will take to keep care running when attackers hit.

Cyber threats don’t just steal data—they halt care, cancel clinics, and shake trust. I sat down with Brent Yax, founder and CEO of Aweccom Technologies to unpack the hard truth: today’s attackers are profit-driven, organized, and focused on disrupting operations until we pay. We trace how the threat landscape shifted from amateur mischief to a mature cyber economy, why small and mid-market healthcare organizations are now prime targets, and what actually works to protect patients and keep the lights on.

The conversation covers the unintended consequences of digitization, including physician burnout, and weighs whether these changes were “worth it”—both agree that overall care has improved. They discuss the rise of artificial intelligence in healthcare, its promise for improving clinical care, and the double-edged sword it presents from a security perspective. Drex emphasizes the importance of organizational awareness, responsible AI adoption, and ongoing education.

Dan Dodson and Dr. Bradley Fowler discuss cybersecurity talent shortages, policy compliance, and leadership strategies in healthcare. Fowler stresses human error reduction, collaboration, and lifelong education, introducing frameworks from his new book aimed at equipping diverse professionals to manage risks and strengthen organizational cybersecurity in rapidly evolving technological environments .

This episode distills memorable insights from six months of interviews with healthcare cybersecurity leaders and clinicians. The five lessons: focus on fundamentals over flashy tech (Phil Alexander), ensure leadership at all levels (Chrissi Maguire), rely on preparation and people during outages (Katrina Brown), recognize every cyber event as a patient safety issue (Dr. Jeffery Tully), and cultivate strong governance and organizational culture (Stephen Ramirez). These frontline stories emphasize that effective cybersecurity in healthcare is built on resilience, teamwork, and a relentless commitment to patient safety and organizational culture.

The cybersecurity battlefield shifts constantly. From database security to cloud protection to today’s AI systems, Dr. Dehghantanha explains why ”the only thing constant in cybersecurity is change.” This rapid evolution creates unique challenges for healthcare organizations trying to protect patient data while embracing transformative technologies. As healthcare increasingly relies on AI for clinical decision support, the cybersecurity stakes have never been higher.

Dan Dodson and cybersecurity expert T.J. Ramsey discussed the escalation of ransomware attacks in healthcare, emphasizing that ransomware is a form of extortion malware used primarily for financial gain, with attackers operating like organized crime syndicates. Ramsey traced his journey from military intelligence to cybersecurity, explained the operational and financial pressures making healthcare a vulnerable target, and described the typical sequence and negotiation process of a ransomware attack—from initial triage and threat actor communications to the challenges in paying ransoms. Throughout, both stressed patient safety, expectation management, and the emotional toll on executives during crises.

Dr. Jeff Tulley, a board-certified physician and co-director of the UCSD Center for Healthcare Cybersecurity, discusses the intersection of healthcare and cybersecurity. He highlights the benefits of digitization in healthcare, such as clinical decision support and interoperability, but also acknowledges the increased attack surface. Tulley’s research focuses on the impact of technology failures on patient outcomes, particularly during ransomware attacks. He emphasizes the need for resilience in clinical settings and the importance of evidence-based cybersecurity practices. Tulley also discusses the challenges of phishing training effectiveness and the potential of AI in both clinical and cybersecurity contexts.

Join us in this compelling episode of the Cyber Security Podcast as we sit down with Scott Augenbaum, a former FBI agent with a distinguished career in cybersecurity spanning back to 1988. Augenbaum takes us on a fascinating journey through the evolution of cybercrime, from its early days of thrill-seeking individuals to today’s highly organized and sophisticated transnational threats. He reveals the stark reality of cybercrime’s massive escalation, now a staggering $10 trillion global problem, and sheds light on the significant hurdles law enforcement faces in recovering stolen data.

In this episode, Chief Nursing Officer Katrina Brown recounts her experience managing a cyberattack at USA Health Providence Hospital. The attack severely impacted the hospital’s Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and other critical systems, leading to a significant decrease in efficiency and a necessary reduction in patient census. Brown highlights the crucial role of strong leadership and well-practiced downtime procedures, noting the unexpected challenges like nurses’ inability to read cursive doctor’s orders and the use of cowbells as a call light system. Despite the month-long disruption, the hospital maintained patient safety with no serious incidents. The community’s self-diversion to other hospitals was an unforeseen outcome, and patient trust was quickly regained post-recovery. Brown emphasizes that the benefits of digitized healthcare outweigh the cyber risks, advocating for robust preparation and frequent downtime drills for all healthcare organizations.

In this episode of Cyber Survivor host Dan Dodson interviews Steven Ramirez, Chief Information Security and Technology Officer at Renown Health. They discuss the evolution of healthcare cybersecurity over the past decade, emphasizing increased funding, improved identity management, and the importance of governance. Ramirez highlights the growing threat of social engineering and AI-fueled attacks, stressing proactive education and advanced safeguards. They explore third-party risk management, emphasizing partnership and resilience planning. Ramirez advocates for integrating security into organizational culture, expanding the CISO role, and focusing on fundamental practices like identity hygiene, access controls, and collaboration. The discussion underscores that cybersecurity is vital for safeguarding patient care and system availability.

In this episode, Chrissi Maguire, CEO of Mount Desert Island Hospital, shares insights on the evolution of healthcare cybersecurity, emphasizing the importance of investments in security infrastructure, staff training, and leadership engagement.

The ”Cyber Survivor” podcast discusses healthcare cybersecurity challenges, highlighting resilience and strategies to protect patient care, featuring insights from IT leaders on overcoming cyber incidents, with guests James Edgell and Daniel Colon.

In this Cyber Survivor podcast episode, host Dan Dodson discusses with Thomas Ritter the evolving cybersecurity landscape, emphasizing ransomware and its increasing complexity. Ritter, a privacy and cybersecurity attorney, highlights the human impact of breaches, especially in healthcare, where technology’s over-reliance raises patient safety concerns. The conversation explores preparedness, third-party risks, and the necessity of proactive strategies in mitigating cyber threats. They stress the importance of human involvement in cybersecurity, urging organizations to prioritize training, resilience, and comprehensive planning to protect patient care and safety effectively.

CRNA Donald Neal explores the impact of cyber breaches on healthcare, sharing experiences with identity theft and emphasizing cybersecurity awareness to protect patient information in a digital age.

Kathie Philippou, with 40 years in practice management, shared her journey from a cinder block office to a digitized healthcare system. She detailed the transition from manual ledger systems to electronic medical records (EMRs) and practice management systems, highlighting the challenges and benefits. Philippou discussed the increasing importance of cybersecurity, driven by government mandates like MIPS, and the financial burden on practices. She emphasized the need for continuous education, compliance, and robust IT support. Philippou also noted the fragmentation of EMR systems and the ongoing struggle to balance costs and regulatory requirements in maintaining independent practices.

In this episode of ”Cyber Survivors,” host Dan Dodson and guest Louis Wright delve into healthcare cybersecurity challenges, particularly during acquisitions. Louis shares insights as the CISO of USA Health and describes how they navigated a cyber attack on a legacy system during a transition period. They emphasize the importance of comprehensive disaster recovery plans, third-party risk management, and continuous improvement. The episode sheds light on maintaining operational resilience and safeguarding patient care amidst complex cyber threats.