Hackers and cybersecurity threats cannot be eliminated; the problem is here to stay. The solution, then, becomes effective, ongoing assessment of risk and implementation of threat-aware cybersecurity processes across a fortified network infrastructure. Businesses of all kinds should be continually improving their security readiness across networks, devices, and sites. However, for the healthcare industry – and for the private equity firms investing in healthcare – the threat is uniquely dangerous and must be confronted intentionally and with a clear view to the future. As recent incidents have demonstrated, healthcare businesses – especially those acquired by PE firms – are a top target for hackers and nation-state bad actors. The reason is simple: Stolen healthcare data yields the biggest financial and intelligence gains on the dark web. Criminals are highly motivated to achieve their goals of getting the highest payday from their work. In response, PE firms and healthcare provider organizations must be doubly motivated to thwart these digital threats, since the consequences of a data breach or ransomware attack upend not just business operations but patient health and safety, too.