Print On a local level, the ransomware attack that engulfed Scripps Health starting May 1, paralyzing digital resources from hospitals to outpatient clinics, was isolated. Other health care systems in the region were unaffected and were able to assist diverted patients with serious and immediate needs including heart attacks and strokes. But look around and it is obvious that Scripps is not alone. A recent report from software firm VMWare Carbon Black estimates that its health care customers experienced a 9,851 percent increase in hacking attempts in 2020 compared with the previous year. Activity intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, with attempts spiking 87 percent from September to October.