Healthcare is one of the most targeted—and complex—industries in cybersecurity. Between sprawling networks, remote care apps, legacy systems, and an ocean of sensitive patient data, healthcare is a perfect storm for cyber threats. Most conversations start with ransomware or phishing—and fair enough, they’re headline-grabbing for a reason. But there’s a stealthier ecosystem quietly feeding those attacks: the dark web.
In the dark web trenches, healthcare organizations are a prime commodity. High-value data, low tolerance for downtime, and high regulatory pressure? That’s gold for cybercriminals.
In 2023 alone, attackers exposed over 133 million patient records through hundreds of breaches in the U.S. The dark web plays a crucial role in many of these incidents—not just as a marketplace, but as an early warning sign. Leaked credentials, exposed device data, and mentions of hospital domains often appear there before a breach becomes public—or even detected internally.
Here’s why the healthcare industry should be paying close attention:
- A single medical record can sell for $250 to $1,000—because it includes full identities, insurance details, and treatment history.
- The average healthcare breach costs $9.8 million, more than double the global average across all sectors.
- Delayed care can be deadly: in 2024, a cyberattack on a pathology lab in the UK led to a patient's death after test results were delayed due to system outages.
These aren’t just cyber threats—they’re dark web threats in healthcare, and they’re uniquely dangerous.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through what kinds of healthcare data end up on the dark web, how it gets there, how it’s misused, and most importantly—what healthcare organizations can do to detect these threats before they turn into disasters.
What type of healthcare data ends up on the Dark Web?
If you think a breach means only a stolen email address, think again. The dark web is flooded with highly sensitive, deeply personal healthcare data—extracted from hospitals, clinics, insurance providers, and third-party vendors. The rise of connected Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) devices and the widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) have significantly expanded the attack surface for healthcare organizations, making it more challenging to secure sensitive data against cyber threats. And once it’s there, there’s no “undo” button.
Here’s what threat actors are actively trading, leaking, and reselling:
Protected Health Information (PHI) and Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
This is the most sought-after category on the dark web. We're talking:
- Diagnoses and treatment history
- Lab results and scans (including MRIs, x-rays, and even fertility records)
- Prescription information
- Insurance policy numbers
- Social Security Numbers and patient contact info
A single complete medical record can be used to commit medical identity fraud, obtain prescription drugs illegally, file fake insurance claims, or even blackmail individuals with sensitive health histories.
In some cases, this data is sold in bundles—hundreds or thousands of patient records packed into downloadable files and offered to the highest bidder.
Employee credentials and access data
Healthcare workers—from administrative staff to doctors—are frequent phishing targets. When a username and password gets exposed (especially one that also grants VPN or EHR access), it often shows up for sale on dark web forums for as little as $3 to $25.
These credentials are used for:
- Gaining access to internal networks
- Installing ransomware
- Stealing additional patient data
- Launching further phishing attacks disguised as “trusted senders”
Unauthorized users, including hackers and insider threats, can exploit these exposed credentials to gain access to sensitive healthcare systems and data, leading to privacy breaches and significant risks.
What makes this worse is password reuse. If a breached credential works across multiple systems (e.g., for both email and remote EHR access), attackers can escalate access quickly.
IoMT device data and access points
The rise of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)—connected pumps, monitors, imaging software—has opened new entry points. While many devices don’t store PHI directly, they do expose:
- Device credentials (often default logins)
- Firmware versions with known vulnerabilities, which often include software vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit to compromise healthcare networks
- Unsecured telemetry data
Attackers use this information to launch broader exploits, particularly in hospitals with flat networks where devices aren’t segmented from core systems.
Internal docs, plans, and infrastructure info
Not all leaks are medical in nature. Facility layouts, procurement spreadsheets, HVAC system access credentials, and even emergency response plans have been discovered on dark web forums.
These details may seem harmless, but they’re valuable for:
- Planning physical or digital intrusions
- Social engineering campaigns
- Tailored ransomware attacks targeting high-impact systems
This is what makes dark web threats to the healthcare industry so unique—and so dangerous. It’s not just about stolen logins or a few email addresses. It’s about full operational visibility, patient identities, and life-impacting data being sold to the highest bidder.
The breadth of information available on the dark web presents a significant challenge for healthcare organizations trying to protect their operations and patient data.
How healthcare data ends up on the Dark Web
Healthcare breaches don’t always begin with a high-tech attack. In fact, most start with something surprisingly simple—like a reused password, a careless click, or an overlooked system. Human error remains one of the leading causes of healthcare data breaches, as mistakes made under pressure can open the door to cyberattacks.
But what happens next is far more calculated.
Here’s how data from hospitals, clinics, and providers typically ends up for sale or exposure on the dark web:
Phishing and credential theft
It often starts with a phishing email. A lab technician gets a fake “Microsoft 365 alert” or a doctor receives a link to “updated patient notes.” One click, and attackers harvest usernames and passwords that can be reused to access everything from email to remote EHR systems. Phishing is one of the most prevalent forms of cyber attacks targeting healthcare organizations.
Once stolen, credentials are:
- Sold on dark web marketplaces (often in bundles)
- Used for lateral movement across systems
- Leveraged to steal PHI or plant ransomware
In 2023, over 70% of healthcare data breaches involved stolen or compromised credentials, and many of those appeared on the dark web before organizations even knew they had a problem.
Third-party vendor breaches
Healthcare is an ecosystem. Labs, billing services, transcription providers, data hosting platforms—all of them handle PHI on behalf of hospitals.
Unfortunately, these vendors often have weaker security controls. When they get breached, attackers gain access to massive volumes of healthcare data—and frequently dump or sell it on the dark web.
Real-world example: In 2022, a third-party billing company exposed the data of 1.2 million patients from dozens of providers. The breach wasn’t detected for weeks—by then, full records were already circulating on dark web forums.
Effective risk management practices, including thorough vetting and continuous monitoring of third-party vendors, are essential to prevent these types of breaches.
Ransomware + data exfiltration
Today’s ransomware groups don’t just encrypt—they steal data first. Ransomware incidents are a form of malware attacks, where attackers use malicious software to both encrypt and exfiltrate sensitive information. This “double extortion” model gives attackers leverage. If an organization won’t pay, they publish or auction off the data on dark web leak sites.
For healthcare, that often includes:
- Patient records and imaging
- Insurance forms
- Internal communications and backups
- Medical device access logs
This tactic has been used by groups like Conti, BlackCat, and LockBit to pressure hospitals into paying ransoms—some of which have topped $10 million.
Insider threats
Not every leak comes from outside. Disgruntled or financially motivated employees have sold PHI on the dark web, especially in high-pressure environments like emergency departments or billing offices.
Even unintentional leaks—like forwarding spreadsheets to personal emails—can be picked up by attackers and end up on leak forums. Insider threats contribute significantly to the number of security incidents reported in the healthcare sector.
In 2021, a hospital staff member in California was caught accessing and selling patient data to identity theft rings—some of which ended up in dark web bundles months later.
IoMT devices with weak security
The proliferation of connected medical devices (IoMT) means more entry points. Many of these devices run on outdated software, use default passwords, or transmit telemetry data unencrypted.
Attackers scan for these vulnerabilities and:
- Extract credentials or access tokens
- Sell them in hacker forums as “access packages”
- Use them as pivot points to move deeper into hospital networks
Network segmentation is a critical defense strategy that can isolate vulnerable IoMT devices and prevent attackers from moving laterally within hospital networks.
Some dark web listings even include live-access credentials to unsecured IoT portals—complete with screenshots of real-time patient vitals.
These are the hidden cracks that lead to healthcare database threats becoming public spectacles—and dark web marketplaces are where the consequences play out.
What happens next: how threat actors use this data
When healthcare data hits the dark web, it doesn’t just sit there. It becomes a weapon—repurposed for fraud, extortion, and even new attacks on the same organization that lost it. Dark web offers frequently include stolen healthcare data, credentials, and hacking tools, making it easier for cybercriminals to exploit healthcare organizations. And because healthcare data is so complete and so personal, it’s one of the most damaging types of information a bad actor can obtain.
Here’s what happens once that data is exposed:
1. Medical identity theft and fraud
Stolen medical records are often used to:
- File fraudulent insurance claims
- Fill high-cost prescriptions
- Access medical services under false identities
- Commit Medicare and Medicaid billing fraud
- Exploit compromised healthcare records to commit various forms of medical identity theft and fraud
Because medical identity theft is harder to detect than credit card fraud (patients may not know someone used their info for months), this data retains long-term value on the dark web.
Stat: According to the Ponemon Institute, the average victim of medical identity theft spends over $13,000 to resolve the issue—and many face damaged credit or denied care.
2. Targeted phishing and social engineering
Dark web exposure makes follow-up attacks easier. Once attackers have a staff member’s name, role, and department, they craft convincing phishing emails:
“Hi Dr. Patel, we noticed an error in your e-prescription portal login. Please reset your password here.”
Or worse—attackers target patients:
“Your insurance claim has been denied. Click here to review the documents.”
These phishing campaigns use stolen data to appear legitimate, often leading to further compromise, payment fraud, or malware installation. Cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities in both technology and human behavior to increase the success of these attacks.
3. Access resale and lateral movement
Leaked credentials aren’t always used by the original thief. Many are resold in underground marketplaces:
- “$20 for an EHR login at [Hospital Name]”
- “$75 for VPN access + RDP credentials”
Once access is purchased, the new attacker might:
- Exfiltrate more data
- Escalate privileges
- Install ransomware
- Launch additional phishing from a trusted address
The same stolen login can fuel multiple attacks—across weeks or months—if it goes undetected.
Regular monitoring and prompt response to credential leaks are essential to mitigate risk and prevent further exploitation.
4. Reputation damage and public extortion
In many cases, attackers leak sensitive healthcare data publicly on dark web “shaming” sites if a ransom isn’t paid. This may include:
- Before-and-after surgical images
- Mental health notes
- Fertility treatment records
- HIV or oncology results
Aside from privacy violations, this creates massive reputational damage for providers—especially when local news or advocacy groups discover the leaks. Such breaches can also directly impact patient outcomes by disrupting care and eroding trust in the healthcare system.
In 2023, Lehigh Valley Health Network refused to pay a ransom. The ransomware group responded by publishing explicit patient images from their cancer treatment center on a dark web forum.
5. Future attack planning
Sometimes data isn’t used immediately—it’s cataloged and analyzed to plan bigger attacks. Attackers often examine specific data points from previous breaches, such as:
- EHR vendor info + access credentials
- Staff hierarchy charts
- IoMT device names and IPs
By analyzing these data points, they can identify new targets and refine their attack strategies. They may stage a larger, targeted breach down the line—or sell the intelligence to another group.
These attacks can surface months (or even years) after the initial data leak—making early detection through dark web monitoring one of the only ways to get ahead of them.
By understanding what happens to data after a breach, healthcare providers can better appreciate the long-term risk—not just to compliance, but to patients, operations, and their own staff.
Real-world examples: dark web threats in action
The dark web isn’t a theoretical threat—it’s a thriving marketplace where stolen healthcare data is actively bought, sold, and leaked. Large health systems are particularly attractive targets for cybercriminals due to the scale and interconnectedness of their operations. These recent cases show how healthcare providers of all sizes are vulnerable, and how quickly leaked data can spiral into long-term damage.
Change Healthcare (2024)
One of the largest healthcare cyberattacks to date, this breach impacted a critical part of the U.S. healthcare system. In early 2024, ransomware group BlackCat (aka ALPHV) infiltrated Change Healthcare’s systems, exfiltrated over 190 million patient records, and then launched a ransomware attack.
But the attack didn’t stop with encryption. The group began leaking data—including insurance claims, payment records, and patient communications—on a dark web leak site when their ransom demands weren’t immediately met.
What we learned: Data exfiltration happens before you even know there’s a breach. Dark web monitoring is the only way to detect this kind of activity early, giving you a chance to respond before reputational damage spirals. This incident also highlights the increasing number of breaches reported in the healthcare sector, reflecting a broader trend of rising data exposures and cyber threats.
Lehigh Valley Health Network (2023)
When Lehigh Valley Health Network refused to pay a ransom demand, the attacking group retaliated by leaking explicit photos of cancer patients taken during treatment. These images, which included unsecured protected health information, were posted on a dark web forum for public viewing and triggered regulatory scrutiny.
The leak sparked outrage and led to emotional distress for both patients and staff. Legal consequences are still unfolding.
What we learned: Dark web threats don’t just involve numbers in a spreadsheet—they affect real people. Once that data hits a public forum, it’s impossible to take it back.
U.S. Hospital email credential dumps
Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered thousands of active hospital staff logins sold on dark web marketplaces, priced between $3 to $25. Many of these credentials offered access to:
- EHR systems
- Internal messaging tools
- Vendor portals and procurement platforms
Some credentials even included “add-on” packages like screenshots of access pages or IP addresses to speed up attacker entry.
What we learned: Credential leaks are cheap—but the breaches they enable are costly. And since many hospitals reuse passwords across systems, one login can open multiple doors. These repeated credential leaks highlight the urgent need for healthcare organizations to strengthen their overall security posture to better defend against such threats.
Insider selling EMR access on the Dark Web (2022)
In 2022, a healthcare staffer posted access credentials to an internal EMR database on a dark web forum. The seller described the database as containing “clean rows of DOBs, emails, prescriptions, diagnosis codes,” and offered remote access for $1,500. The database included sensitive patient information, making the breach particularly damaging to patient privacy and data confidentiality.
The incident was discovered only after a third-party threat intelligence firm flagged the forum post. By then, several buyers had already contacted the seller.
What we learned: Not all breaches come from outside. Insider threats are real—and they often show up on the dark web before they’re detected by internal systems.
Each of these examples reinforces a key point: the dark web is often where healthcare breaches begin—or where they’re discovered.
And without proactive monitoring, you’re always one step behind.
Why healthcare is uniquely vulnerable to dark web exposure
While every industry faces cyber risk, healthcare stands out as uniquely vulnerable to dark web threats. The reasons go beyond just “valuable data”—they’re systemic, operational, and human. The healthcare sector faces an evolving threat landscape, with new risks and attack methods emerging constantly.
Let’s break it down:
Healthcare data is incredibly valuable—and permanent
Unlike credit cards that can be canceled, Protected Health Information (PHI) is permanent. You can’t reset your cancer diagnosis, change your blood type, or undo a fertility treatment record.
That makes PHI:
- 10 to 20 times more valuable on the dark web than financial data
- A tool for long-term identity theft, insurance fraud, and blackmail
- A target for repeated resale—data leaked in 2021 might still be circulating today
This long shelf life means even small breaches can result in years of risk for patients and providers alike.
Outdated systems and decentralized IT infrastructure
Hospitals and clinics often operate on legacy systems—many built before modern cybersecurity standards were common. It’s not unusual to find:
- Windows 7 workstations still running medical imaging software
- Flat networks where one credential can access multiple systems
- Medical devices with unpatched vulnerabilities and default passwords
Add to this a distributed workforce—remote clinicians, telehealth, traveling specialists—and you have a complex, hard-to-defend environment. Investing in healthcare cybersecurity is essential to address the risks posed by outdated systems and decentralized infrastructure.
Third-party vendor risk
Healthcare doesn’t operate in a silo. Labs, billing providers, transcriptionists, and IT vendors all touch sensitive data.
And each of these vendors is a potential entry point.
Unfortunately, healthcare organizations don’t always have the resources or leverage to vet these partners thoroughly. If a billing vendor is breached, your patients’ data could hit the dark web—even if your internal systems are clean.
Maintaining regulatory compliance requires healthcare organizations to ensure that all third-party vendors adhere to strict data protection standards.
According to a 2023 CybelAngel report, 52% of healthcare-related data leaks originate from third-party vendors.
Long detection timelines and fragmented response
Most healthcare breaches go undetected for 6–9 months, giving attackers plenty of time to leak or sell data. This is due to:
- Limited 24/7 monitoring in many organizations; continuous monitoring is critical for early detection and rapid response to potential breaches
- Poor integration between EHRs and security tools
- Siloed teams: IT, compliance, clinical ops, and patient relations often operate independently
In one breach, it was a dark web monitoring alert that first tipped off the hospital that a ransomware group had already exfiltrated data.
Human factors and lack of training
Frontline staff—nurses, admin teams, lab techs—aren’t cybersecurity experts. Many are overworked, understaffed, and not trained to spot phishing attempts or identity-theft tactics. Comprehensive human services support can help improve staff training and resilience against cyber threats.
That creates a perfect storm:
- Easy-to-guess or reused passwords
- Clicks on malicious links disguised as lab results or insurance updates
- Unsecured messaging apps used for patient care
A recent Verizon DBIR report found that 74% of healthcare breaches involved the “human element”—often stemming from credential compromise.
Together, these challenges make healthcare the perfect target for dark web exploitation.
But here’s the good news: understanding your unique risks is the first step toward managing them. In the next section, we’ll break down what proactive steps healthcare organizations can take to defend against these threats—starting with monitoring the dark web for early warning signs.
What healthcare organizations can do to defend themselves
By now, it’s clear that healthcare organizations face a unique set of challenges when it comes to dark web threats. But the good news is: many of these risks are manageable—if you know where to start.
Here’s how healthcare providers can take a more proactive stance and reduce their exposure before data ends up for sale in a dark web forum.
1. Monitor the Dark Web for early signs of exposure
Many organizations don’t realize they’ve been compromised until it’s too late. But often, the first sign isn’t a ransom note or a public breach—it’s credentials or patient data appearing on the dark web.
Dark web monitoring tools like Prey allow healthcare security teams to:
- Detect leaked credentials tied to your domain or staff
- Identify mentions of your hospital name or staff emails
- Receive alerts when logins credentials, device firmware versions, or internal files appear in dark web listings
- Act quickly—often before attackers strike
This kind of visibility is critical for early intervention.
2. Enforce strong access controls
Credentials are the key to most healthcare breaches. That’s why every account—especially those with EHR or network access—should be protected with:
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Role-based access controls with least-privilege principles
- Automatic password rotation for shared accounts or service credentials
- Access logs tied to alerting systems (so you’re notified when something changes)
Remember: a single leaked password on the dark web can give attackers a foothold into your systems.
3. Train all staff—not just IT
Cybersecurity can’t be limited to the IT team. Everyone from billing specialists to surgeons needs to understand:
- How phishing works (with real examples)
- What suspicious messages or pop-ups look like
- Why sharing passwords—even internally—is dangerous
- What to do if they see or hear something strange
And make it ongoing: quarterly refreshers, phishing simulations, and micro-trainings go a long way toward building awareness.
4. Vet and audit your third-party vendors
It’s not enough to secure your own systems—you have to know who else has access to your data. When onboarding or renewing contracts with labs, billing providers, or IT services, ask:
- What cybersecurity standards they follow (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001)
- If they conduct employee training on PHI handling
- Whether they offer breach reporting transparency and timelines
- If their systems are also monitored for dark web exposure
Collaboration with government agencies can help ensure that vendors meet required cybersecurity and compliance standards.
Conduct audits regularly, especially for vendors with access to patient information or login credentials.
5. Segment your networks and secure your devices
Flat networks are a dream come true for attackers. Once they’re in, they can go anywhere. That’s why it’s critical to:
- Isolate EHR systems from general internet access
- Segment IoMT devices onto separate VLANs
- Monitor device telemetry for signs of compromise
- Disable unused ports, protocols, and remote management features
Think of your infrastructure as a series of vaults—not an open floor plan.
6. Build an Incident Response Plan that includes dark web scenarios
If you detect a credential leak or data listing on the dark web, your team should already know:
- Who’s responsible for initial triage
- How to notify affected patients or staff
- What systems to isolate or reset
- When legal, compliance, or PR needs to be looped in
- That organizations should be prepared to coordinate with health and human services agencies, such as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), during incident response to ensure regulatory compliance and sector-wide resilience
Tabletop exercises are incredibly useful here. Simulate what would happen if your admin login was leaked, or a batch of MRI scans were posted online.
By combining dark web monitoring with access control, education, segmentation, and vendor oversight, healthcare organizations can drastically reduce their risk—and respond faster when threats arise.
Next, we’ll wrap up with a focused look at how Prey helps healthcare organizations detect and stop dark web threats before they escalate.
Prey for healthcare dark web monitoring
You can’t fix what you can’t see. And when it comes to dark web threats in healthcare, visibility is everything.
Prey helps healthcare organizations stay ahead of emerging risks by monitoring the dark web for potential exposure—from stolen credentials to mentions of patient data, systems, and sensitive documents.
While Prey doesn’t offer real-time alerts, it provides regularly updated intelligence that can help your team spot problems early—before they escalate into full-blown breaches. Prey’s monitoring capabilities can also support compliance and reporting requirements for healthcare organizations working with a human services office.
Ongoing monitoring of the Dark Web
Prey continuously monitors a wide range of dark web sources—including hacker forums, marketplaces, and breach repositories—for signs that your organization may have been compromised.
This includes:
- Leaked hospital staff credentials (e.g., john.smith@yourclinic.org)
- Mentions of your organization, systems iin breach discussions
- IoMT device data, firmware details, and access credentials
These findings are compiled into structured reports, giving your security team valuable context and a head start on containment.
Actionable reporting you can use
With Prey’s dark web monitoring, your team receives clear, periodic reports highlighting:
- What was found (e.g., credentials, domain mentions, data types)
- Where it appeared (e.g., forum, marketplace, breach dump)
- What the associated risks are
- Recommendations for mitigation (e.g., reset passwords, investigate access)
These reports are designed to be readable, shareable, and aligned with incident response or compliance documentation.
Easy integration into your security process
While Prey isn’t a SIEM or alerting tool, it plays an essential role in your overall threat intelligence stack:
- Use Prey’s findings to trigger credential resets or staff outreach
- Add exposed domains or credentials to internal monitoring lists
- Align findings with HIPAA/HITECH documentation requirements
Our healthcare clients use Prey’s data to stay informed, proactive, and prepared—especially when visibility into the dark web has historically been limited or reactive.
Built to support healthcare security and compliance
Prey was designed with data sensitivity in mind. For healthcare providers, it can help support:
- Ongoing HIPAA risk assessments
- Vendor risk audits and security reviews
- Internal cybersecurity awareness initiatives
- Documentation for breach readiness and mitigation
It’s a low-overhead, high-impact way to strengthen your defenses—without adding complexity to your stack.
Ready to take the next step?
Whether you’re a clinic, hospital network, or health IT provider, Prey can help you:
- Evaluate dark web exposure tied to your domain
- Track changes over time and respond with confidence
- Stay ahead of identity-based threats in an increasingly hostile environment
