Phishing: The Hidden Threat in Your Inbox

Email is a lifeline for healthcare communication, but it has become a major vulnerability. From fake invoices to malicious attachments disguised as lab results, phishing attacks are increasingly targeting Canadian healthcare organizations, putting patient data and clinical operations at serious risk.

At Amplify Care, we believe that awareness and education are the strongest defenses against these threats.

Why Healthcare Clinics are Prime Targets

Canadian healthcare clinics handle vast amounts of sensitive data – personal health information (PHI), billing records, and clinical communications. This makes them attractive to cybercriminals who exploit email as an entry point.

Phishing attacks often involve:

• Malicious Attachments: Files disguised as medical documents or invoices that install malware when opened.
• Spoofed Emails: Messages that appear to come from trusted sources like labs, insurers, or internal staff.
• Credential Theft: Fake login pages that trick staff into revealing EMR or portal credentials.

Clinics are especially vulnerable due to limited IT resources, high staff turnover, and the urgency of clinical workflows, making it easier for attackers to exploit human error.

Real-World Impact: From Inbox to Breach

Recent incidents in Canada have shown how phishing can cripple healthcare operations. Phishing and email-based cyberattacks have become one of the most common and damaging threats to Canadian healthcare systems, with incidents rising sharply in recent years.¹

These breaches don’t just affect data, they impact care delivery, patient trust, and regulatory compliance.

Social Engineering: The Human Side of Cyber Threats

Phishing isn’t just about bad links; it’s about manipulating people. Social engineering tactics are designed to exploit trust, urgency, and routine behaviors in clinical settings. Attackers often:

• Impersonate trusted contacts like labs, insurers, or internal staff
• Create urgency with subject lines like “URGENT: Patient Test Results” or “Invoice Overdue”
• Use familiarity by referencing real names, clinic locations, or recent activity

In busy clinics, where staff juggle patient care and admin tasks, these tactics are dangerously effective. A single click on a malicious attachment can install ransomware, steal credentials, or expose sensitive patient data.

Protecting Your Clinic

To defend against phishing and social engineering, clinics should adopt a layered approach:

• Verify Before You Click: Encourage staff to double-check sender addresses and unexpected attachments, even if they look familiar.
• Use Email Filtering Tools: Deploy email spam filters and malware scanners to catch threats before they reach inboxes.
• Limit Access Privileges: Ensure staff only have access to the data and systems they need. This reduces the impact of compromised accounts.
• Report Suspicious Emails: Create a simple, clear process for staff to report phishing attempts. Early reporting can prevent wider damage.
• Train Continuously: Use platforms like Shield to run phishing simulations, teach recognition skills, and reinforce safe email habits.

Shield: Training Clinics to Spot Threats

Shield helps healthcare teams recognize and respond to phishing threats before they cause harm. Our platform includes:

• Phishing Simulation Exercises: Practice identifying suspicious emails in a safe, controlled environment.
• Attachment Safety Training: Learn how to verify file sources and avoid clicking malicious attachments.
• Credential Protection Modules: Understand how to spot fake login pages and protect access credentials.
• Incident Reporting: Understand how and when to report incidents in the clinic and what actions to take if a breach occurs.

Whether you’re an admin, physician, nurse, clinic manager, or allied health professional Shield equips you with the skills to defend your inbox and your patients.

Stay Ahead with Shield

Phishing isn’t just an IT problem; it’s a human one. And in healthcare, one wrong click can compromise lives. By building a culture of email awareness and cyber hygiene, Canadian clinics can stay one step ahead of cyber threats.

Don’t let a single attachment undo your clinic’s hard work. Train smart. Train with Shield.

References

1. Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (2024). National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-2026. Government of Canada. https://www.cyber.gc.ca/en/guidance/national-cyber-threat-assessment-2025-2026