テクノロジー｜サイバー攻撃と身代金の是非 / Technology | The Ethics of Cyber Attacks and Ransomware

Summary

Musashikosugi Hospital of Nippon Medical School has fallen victim to a ransomware attack, resulting in the leak of information for approximately 10,000 patients.

The attackers demanded a ransom of 15 billion yen, but the hospital has refused to pay. There is a strong emphasis on the opinion that paying the ransom is not advisable, as there is no guarantee that the system will be fully restored. Although paying may seem like a short-term solution, it could encourage further criminal activity and lead to additional harm in the long run, necessitating careful consideration.

Dialogue

This dialogue is fictional and based on the article.

Chako: Hey Log, cyber attacks are really scary, right? I can’t believe so much patient information has been leaked.
Log: Yeah, especially attacks on medical institutions are serious. They’re demanding a ransom of 15 billion yen, so I totally understand why hospitals wouldn’t want to pay.
Chako: But if they do pay, can we really be sure the data will be protected?
Log: That’s the problem. Even if they pay, there’s no guarantee that the information will be completely deleted.
Navi: Just to add, in ransomware attacks, there are many cases where victims suffer further damage after paying, making it an unreliable choice.
Chako: I see, so maybe it’s better not to pay?
Log: It’s not just idealistic thinking; paying would actually support criminal activities, so refusing to pay is probably the right decision.

Admin’s Note

This recent case of a cyber attack reinforces the importance of having the option not to pay a ransom. It’s particularly significant to note that what may seem like a short-term solution—making the payment—could actually lead to long-term problems. I was impressed by how the conversation between Chako and Log conveyed the seriousness of this issue to the younger generation. I feel that we need to have more discussions about such problems in the future.