I grew up in Poland — a country that now holds a disturbing record: the highest number of cyberattacks in the world. Living through this as both a Polish and American citizen, I’ve seen how quickly a cyber incident can move from being an “IT problem” to a human crisis.
Just recently, hackers breached the Ministry of Health hospital in Kraków, interrupting care for vulnerable patients. This wasn’t a slow, theoretical risk. It was a real, immediate blow to a place where lives depend on functioning systems.
Here in the U.S., the situation isn’t much better. Over 1.2 million healthcare devices and systems were recently exposed in a massive breach — everything from infusion pumps to MRI scanners. Think about that for a second: a single breach could mean delayed treatments, compromised diagnoses, or even patient harm.
Cyberattacks on healthcare aren’t about stealing random data; they’re about creating chaos where people are at their weakest. And it’s happening more often, to hospitals in both Warsaw and Washington.
At Worksters, I’m bringing Krypton encryption hardware from Poland to the U.S. because I’ve seen the devastation firsthand. In Poland, encryption is part of our defense culture now — we’ve had to adapt quickly to a hostile digital environment. The U.S. is waking up to the same reality, especially as global conflicts spill into cyberspace.
Healthcare is about saving lives. Cybersecurity should be, too.
Practical Steps to Improve Device Security Today
You don’t have to wait for the “perfect” solution or the next big budget cycle to start defending your systems. These are steps healthcare organizations can take right now:
Segment Your Network
Keep medical devices on separate, isolated networks so a breach in one system doesn’t spread like wildfire
Encrypt Device Communications
Use hardware encryption where possible — it’s faster, harder to tamper with, and not dependent on software patches alone.
Regularly Update Firmware
Too many hospital devices run outdated software. Updates often contain critical security fixes
Train Frontline Staff
Doctors and nurses don’t need to be cybersecurity experts, but they should know the basics of spotting suspicious activity and reporting it.
Run Incident Drills
Just like fire drills, simulate a cyber incident so your team knows how to react without panic.
If you run a healthcare facility — whether it’s a small clinic or a major hospital — your network is already a target. The question isn’t if someone will try to get in, but how prepared you’ll be when they do.
From Poland to the U.S., the lesson is the same: we can’t treat cybersecurity as an afterthought. Because when hospitals become battlegrounds, it’s patients who pay the price.