One of the biggest fears security experts have may be coming true: self-replicating ransomware. Viruses that have the ability to copy and spread themselves to new systems are nothing new, but until now ransomware attacks have been targeted campaigns.

Ransomware is becoming a growing problem for the healthcare industry. And with around a dozen attacks on hospitals being reported since the beginning of the year, you may be wondering just how severe the problem is. Should you be alarmed? How can you protect your practice? Here’s an inside look at how the ransomware epidemic is affecting the US and Canadian healthcare systems.