Hospitals and clinics in the UK recorded a staggering tenfold rise in cyberattacks during the first five months of 2026 compared to the entire previous year, according to security firm SonicWall. Researchers logged over 264,000 attack events targeting UK healthcare environments — roughly four times more than any other industry. Criminals target hospitals because patient records are extremely valuable and downtime creates pressure to pay ransoms quickly.
If your doctor, dentist, or pharmacy uses digital records — and most do — your personal and medical information could be caught up in one of these incidents. The breach of a single NHS supplier or private clinic can expose names, addresses, NHS numbers, and even prescription history. Ransomware gangs are increasingly demanding millions, with average demands in early 2026 climbing to over $16 million per attack.