Ransomware protection has become a top priority for radiology groups and imaging providers. As healthcare systems face rising cyberattacks, one of the most damaging threats is ransomware—a type of malware that encrypts your systems and holds data hostage until a payment is made. For organizations managing sensitive imaging data, the risks are too great to ignore.
In 2023 alone, dozens of healthcare systems experienced ransomware incidents that impacted everything from emergency room operations to access to medical imaging. Without proper safeguards in place, these attacks can delay diagnoses, increase liability, and compromise patient safety.
Why Radiology Systems Are High-Value Targets
Radiology is uniquely vulnerable. PACS platforms store thousands—even millions—of diagnostic images and protected health records. Many legacy systems lack modern encryption, multifactor authentication, or automated backups. Worse, they may not be regularly patched or updated, leaving them exposed to well-known vulnerabilities.
That’s why modernizing your imaging environment isn’t just about performance—it’s about ransomware protection and long-term operational resilience. When systems are compromised, it’s not just data that’s affected—it’s care delivery, clinical outcomes, and institutional trust.
5 Powerful Ways to Improve Ransomware Protection in Cloud Imaging
End-to-End Encryption
Emergent Connect’s cloud-native PACS uses industry-standard AES-256 encryption for all data—both in transit and at rest. If attackers intercept the data, they won’t be able to read it. This level of encryption also ensures HIPAA compliance and safeguards PHI.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
MFA ensures that even if someone steals a password, they still can’t access the system. It’s a simple yet powerful tool in any ransomware protection strategy—and critical in an age of widespread credential theft.
Automatic Cloud Backups
Cloud-based backups are your best defense against data loss. Emergent Connect stores encrypted backups across multiple secure, U.S.-based data centers, ensuring fast recovery with minimal disruption—even in the face of a ransomware attack.
Intelligent Access Controls
Role-based access and detailed audit logs allow administrators to see who accessed what—and when. This not only limits exposure to internal threats but also makes compliance reporting and forensic investigations easier.
Built-In Disaster Recovery
If local infrastructure is compromised, users can continue working remotely via a zero-footprint viewer. Radiologists can access full study worklists securely from anywhere, enabling uninterrupted care delivery and avoiding costly delays.
Real-World Consequences of Inadequate Protection
A 2022 ransomware attack on a multi-hospital system in the Midwest crippled radiology services for nearly a week. With no recent backups and limited remote access, the hospital had to manually recover imaging files—delaying critical diagnoses and rerouting patients to other facilities.
By contrast, organizations using Emergent Connect’s cloud-native imaging solutions reported uninterrupted access, thanks to their built-in redundancy and remote accessibility.
Healthcare providers who invest in proactive ransomware protection strategies are far more likely to maintain care continuity in a crisis. Cloud-native platforms provide the necessary flexibility, accessibility, and speed to respond effectively.
Shared Responsibility: What Imaging Teams Can Do
Ransomware protection starts with the right platform—but it also requires internal diligence. Imaging teams should train staff regularly to spot phishing emails, apply timely software updates and security patches, limit system access using least-privilege policies, and use secure HL7 and DICOM connections with audit tracking.
Emergent Connect helps providers meet these standards through an intuitive user interface, real-time alerts, and a fully managed cloud environment that minimizes IT burden.
Learn more in our blog: Zero-Footprint Imaging for Mobile Providers
Why Emergent Connect Leads in Ransomware Protection
Emergent Connect is built from the ground up for resilience, security, and scalability. From automatic compliance updates to encrypted cloud storage and intelligent user controls, every component is designed to support your security goals.
Our systems are HIPAA compliant, hosted in secure U.S. cloud infrastructure, and continuously monitored and updated. This ensures not only technical reliability but the peace of mind your organization needs in the face of growing cyberthreats.
Whether you’re a regional imaging center or a mobile diagnostics provider, ransomware protection is already built into our DNA. With Emergent Connect, you’re not just investing in a PACS platform—you’re investing in long-term security and operational confidence.
To explore our security-first architecture and cloud imaging capabilities, visit The Technology page.