A group of cybersecurity startups today formed an alliance under the banner of London-based investment firm C5 Capital to help healthcare organizations fend off hackers trying to exploit the coronavirus pandemic.

The coalition, which calls itself the C5 Alliance, includes C5 Capital portfolio companies IronNet Cybersecurity, Inc., Enveil Inc., 4iQ Inc., Blue Cedar Networks Inc., Haven Cyber Technologies and Haven’s ITC Secure subsidiary, which provides managed security services.

According to the C5 Alliance, the past two months have seen the volume of cyberattacks targeting the healthcare sector jump 150%. One of the highest-profile attacks to date occurred Sunday night, when hackers reportedly attempted to slow the systems of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. Cybercriminals are also creating fake coronavirus maps and impersonating World Health Organisation officials in order to conduct phishing campaigns.

The C5 Alliance will make cybersecurity software available for free to hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities in the UK and Europe to help them fend off hackers. To start, the group will open up access to IronDome, a threat intelligence system from C5 portfolio company IronNet that provides information on hacker activity.

IronDome allows organizations to share data about attacks against their networks with one another. A hospital targeted by a ransomware campaign, for instance, could use IronDome to share information about the campaign with other institutions that are at risk of being attacked. The IronDome deployment the C5 alliance is making available to healthcare organizations will be managed by alliance member ITC Secure. 

“Healthcare companies and organisations are facing growing threats, as seen with the NHS attacks in 2017,” C5 Capital founder Andre Pienaar said in a statement. “Now with the Covid-19 crisis they are facing an unprecedented assault from cyberattacks. This initiative takes immediate action in helping to protect health services in the U.K. and Europe in the best way possible, with the knowledge of some of the world’s best cybersecurity experts.”

Elsewhere in the tech sector, the industry’s largest players are joining the global effort to curb the coronavirus. Alphabet Inc.’s Verily Life Sciences subsidiary on Sunday started piloting a COVID-19 screening website in San Francisco that allows visitors to take a survey to see if they require testing. Earlier, Microsoft Corp. launched a Bing map to provide information on the spread of the virus for users. 

The telecommunications industry is also getting involved. Last week, practically all the major internet providers in the U.S. and many smaller players agreed to not to terminate service for consumers or small businesses in the next 60 days, as well as to waive any late fees. 

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