Author: Newsbit

The Indian healthcare sector emerged as the most targeted industry for cyberattacks in 2024, accounting for 21.82% of total incidents, according to the latest India Cyber Threat Report 2025 released by Seqrite, the enterprise security arm of Quick Heal Technologies.

The findings, compiled by researchers at Seqrite Labs—India’s largest malware analysis facility—highlight the growing vulnerabilities in healthcare institutions as they rapidly adopt digital technologies. With vast amounts of sensitive patient data and mission-critical systems, hospitals and healthcare providers have become key targets for ransomware groups and cybercriminals.

The report identifies a sharp rise in ransomware attacks, phishing campaigns, and malware disguised as legitimate medical software. Sophisticated ransomware groups such as LockBit 3.0 and RansomHub were found targeting critical healthcare infrastructure, encrypting patient records and demanding ransom to restore access—posing a direct threat to patient care and operational continuity.

In 2024, behaviour-based malware attacks accounted for 14.5% of all threats in healthcare. These threats are particularly dangerous because they mimic normal software behaviour to evade traditional security systems. Seqrite researchers found that cybercriminals increasingly exploited hospital networks, telemedicine platforms, and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) devices.

The report also notes that phishing campaigns impersonating health agencies and insurance companies successfully compromised 37% of healthcare staff. These campaigns use social engineering techniques to trick employees into revealing credentials or downloading malicious files.

To address these evolving threats, Seqrite emphasized the need for robust, real-time security infrastructure. Its Endpoint Security (EPS) solution—recognized by AV-TEST for its corporate-grade performance—uses behaviour-based detection, cloud sandboxing, and automated rollback to combat ransomware attacks. For organizations using connected medical devices and cloud-based systems, Seqrite’s Extended Detection and Response (XDR) platform provides integrated monitoring across endpoints, networks, and cloud environments. The platform also supports AI-powered threat hunting, based on data collected from 8.44 million analyzed endpoints.

In response to the growing use of generative AI, deepfakes, and cloud misconfigurations in cyberattacks, Seqrite has introduced new innovations, including the Seqrite Threat Intelligence Platform and the Seqrite Malware Analysis Platform (SMAP), to give enterprises better visibility and faster response capabilities.

Calling the findings a wake-up call, Seqrite urged healthcare organizations to prioritize cybersecurity by adopting proactive and adaptive defenses. The report underscores the urgent need for the healthcare industry to build resilience against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, which have now become a persistent risk to both data privacy and patient safety. Varindia

MedTech Europe has issued a statement calling on European policymakers to exempt medical technologies from any trade tariffs or export restrictions.

In response to the European Commission’s (EC) conclusion of a public consultation on proposed EU countermeasures impacting trade with the US, MedTech Europe expressed deep concern over a draft package that “targets a broad range of finished medical devices, in vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical devices, and a variety of essential components used in their manufacture”.

The trade body’s overall request was that medical technologies be included and prioritised in a “zero for zero” tariff agreement on industrial goods or as part of any negotiated settlement that seeks to eliminate tariffs on both sides of the Atlantic.

The EC’s consultation, which was announced on 8 May and closed on 10 June, was launched to gather input towards finalising proposals for the adoption of countermeasures against the Trump’s administration’s imposition of tariffs on the bloc.

Upon launching the consultation, EC president Ursula von der Leyen said: “Tariffs are already having a negative impact on the global economies. The EU remains fully committed to finding negotiated outcomes with the US.

“At the same time, we continue preparing for all possibilities, and the consultation launched today will help guide us in this necessary work.”

President Trump’s initial announcement of tariffs for many countries and regions worldwide on 2 April has been marked by continued flip-flopping. The EU was originally facing 20% blanket tariffs on all imported goods from 9 April; however, the White House walked back its plans on the date, instead choosing to enact a 90-day pause on the imposition of tariffs.

Trump has since threatened to raise tariffs on the EU to 50% if no deal is reached by the end of the pause period on 9 July.

According to reports by German newspaper Handelsblatt, the EU was willing to accept a flat fee of 10% tariffs. However, in a statement shared with Reuters, the EC dismissed the claims, stating: “Negotiations are ongoing, and no agreement has been reached at this stage. The EU has from the start objected to unjustified and illegal US tariffs.”

In concluding remarks, MedTech Europe stated: “Patients must not become collateral damage in a trade dispute. Safeguarding their access to the technologies they depend on must remain a shared priority.”

On 11 June, leading players from the medtech industry convened on Capitol Hill alongside the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) to advocate for the elimination of tariffs on medical technologies.

After the Trump administration’s announcement of a 90-day pause on the imposition of tariffs for most countries, barring China, AdvaMed CEO Scott Whitaker voiced similar hopes as MedTech Europe, restating his previous request that a ‘zero for zero’ tariff deal on medtech with all of the US’s key trading partners be struck. GlobalData

Cases of Covid-19 have never fallen to zero in India since the coronavirus disease was first detected, Naveen Kumar, Director, National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, said on Wednesday (June 18, 2025), adding, “We have now scaled-up surveillance and genome sequencing following the recent surge in cases.”

The NIV was continuously monitoring the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus by whole genome sequencing of RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) positive samples referred from 73 virus research and diagnostic laboratories across the country, Dr Kumar said.

The recent upsurge in Covid-19 cases had been noticed since the second week of April 2025, Dr. Kumar said, adding that genomic analysis had revealed the surge was due to the JN.1.16 sub-lineage of the Omicron variant, and that since May 2025, it had been replaced by the XFG (LF.7 and LP.81.2) recombinant variant. Whole genome sequences have been submitted to the Indian Biological Data Centre and GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data).

The virus isolation of the newer variants would be helpful in assessing vaccine effectiveness, and in supporting India’s indigenous efforts for vaccine development, Dr Kumar said.

“Currently, two monovalent Omicron-based vaccines are available (Biological E Limited’s Corbivax, and Serum Institute of India’s COVOVAX). The situation is being continuously monitored by the Union Health Ministry,” the head of the NIV said.

India reported its first cases of Covid-19 on January 30, 2020 in three towns of Kerala, in three Indian medical students who had returned from Wuhan, the epicentre of the pandemic.

India’s active Covid-19 caseload dropped marginally to 6,483 on Wednesday from 6,836 the previous day, according to latest data from the Ministry of Health. Four deaths have been recorded in the past 24 hours.

Of the four deaths, two were reported in Maharashtra, while Kerala and Delhi reported one each, respectively. All four individuals were elderly, and had existing respiratory ailments and other chronic conditions.

India is currently witnessing a rise in infections driven by emerging subvariants, including LF.7, XFG, JN.1, and the newly detected NB.1.8.1.

Delhi recorded the highest number of fresh Covid-19 cases, with 65 new infections taking its total to 620. Kerala continues to report the highest number of active Covid-19 cases at 1,384, followed by Gujarat with 1,105. Karnataka and Maharashtra reported 653 and 489 active cases, respectively.

Covid-19 is the symptomatic disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Vaccination remains an important public health countermeasure against Covid-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. SARS-CoV-2 continues to undergo sustained evolution since its emergence in humans, with important genetic and antigenic changes in the spike protein, the global health body said. The Hindu

US medical device companies continue to face uncertainty and instability as President Donald Trump’s tariffs continue to disrupt the market. Major manufacturers are currently most concerned with supply chain interruptions and cost increases, leading to constant adjustments of company forecasts.

Cardiovascular devices are especially vulnerable to the impacts of tariffs, as many of these devices are reliant upon parts from multiple countries. This could cause delays in the manufacturing and distribution of life-saving cardiovascular devices, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Cardiovascular devices include equipment for structural heart conditions, cardiac rhythm management, and both arterial and peripheral vascular interventions. The largest markets within the cardiovascular space include devices such as pacemakers, transcatheter heart valves, electrophysiology catheters, and stents. The largest companies operating within the space include medical device giants such as Medtronic, Abbott, and Boston Scientific, and specialized manufacturers including Edwards Lifesciences and W. L. Gore.

David Beauchamp, Medical Analyst at GlobalData said: “Many cardiovascular device companies rely on manufacturing outside the US to address demand, especially from the US. Tariffs are likely to cause increases in material cost and disrupt long-standing supply chains. Currently, the US does not have the manufacturing capacity to adjust to possible losses that could result from the impacts of tariffs.”

GlobalData estimates the US cardiovascular device market to be worth approximately 34.5 billion USD, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4% from 2024 to 2034. Due to the impact of tariffs on cardiovascular device companies, sales and growth in the US could decrease as companies focus on other countrys’ markets or are forced to absorb the impact of tariffs on their revenue.

Beauchamp concluded: “US tariffs on other countries, especially on major manufacturing centres in Asia, could cause cardiovascular device manufacturers to see decreased revenues and growth within the US. It remains unlikely that the US can become completely self-sufficient in producing all the components required for advanced cardiovascular medical devices. Without a more concrete and stable policy on these tariffs from the current American administration, it is likely that most manufacturers will be forced to continuously change their internal forecasts and production plans.” Med-Tech Insights