A new Paubox report uncovers significant email security vulnerabilities in healthcare. This report reveals that 60% of healthcare organizations surveyed experienced email-related security incidents last year that exposed sensitive patient data. Despite this, most attacks go unreported. Only 5% of known phishing attacks and 4% of known HIPAA email violations are reported to security teams.

Why this matters: Email remains healthcare’s most vulnerable cyberattack entry point, and IT leaders don’t have a handle on it. Andrea Palm, Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services, emphasizes: “Cyber attacks directly compromise patient safety, making robust email security essential.”

Report highlights:

• 60% of healthcare IT leaders reported email security breaches or security incidents last year.
• Only 5% of known phishing attacks are reported to security teams.
• Healthcare IT teams aren’t just dealing with spam or hackers—they’re dealing with infrastructure that undermines their mission.
• IT leaders underestimate the costs of a HIPAA violation by a factor of four.

You might think that the gap between incidents and reporting points to a critical training or culture issue. However, 90% of healthcare organizations conduct regular employee training on email security best practices.

Hoala Greevy, CEO of Paubox, states: “Healthcare doesn’t need more patchwork fixes—it needs a mindset shift. Patients expect secure, convenient communication, and it’s on us to meet that standard. With AI, automation, and built-in encryption, we can proactively defend patient data before threats ever hit the inbox. That’s exactly what we built ExecProtect+ to do—eliminate risk at the source, not after the damage is done.”

Download the full report here: https://hubs.la/Q03hcR7X0

For media inquiries, expert commentary, or interview requests, please contact Dawn Halpin at Paubox at press@paubox.com or 415-795-7396.

About Paubox

Paubox offers HIPAA compliant communication solutions that empower healthcare organizations of any size to simply and securely communicate. Our suite of solutions includes HIPAA compliant encrypted email, inbound email security, HIPAA compliant email marketing, and HIPAA compliant email API for transactional communications. Our customers love our HITRUST certified solutions and we have industry-topping G2 ratings (4.9/5 stars). Learn more at paubox.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250415058817/en/

Only 5% of known phishing attacks and 4% of known HIPAA email violations are reported to security teams.