Everyone needs to go to the doctor at some point. Because of this, a vast amount of personally identifiable data is collected and stored. Hackers or insiders can exploit data collected in healthcare.
Companies and institutions in the healthcare sector must implement cybersecurity measures to protect patient data. While healthcare companies face numerous security issues, there are also effective ways to defend against data breaches.
This article delves into the healthcare industry’s potential risks and the best ways to protect against them.
What Are the Primary Data Security Issues in Healthcare?
This section of the article won’t provide specific solutions to the problems we will outline. But, before you look at ways to minimize cyber threats, it’s essential to understand the security issues.
Healthcare professionals aren’t trained in cybersecurity and IT. While this is normal, it can lead to security problems. They might not recognise social engineering or phishing attacks and may lack knowledge of accidental data exposure or password creation.
Many healthcare providers, especially state-funded ones, use legacy systems lacking modern security features, leaving them vulnerable to attacks. They often lack the personnel and the budget to modernise them.
Furthermore, the data that these businesses collect is sensitive by default. It’s personally identifiable, meaning its leakage can have vast legal consequences. The data is also vulnerable in multiple stages, as it needs to be shared data among providers, insurers, and other stakeholders. A weak link in that chain can compromise your business.
Why Do Cybercriminals Target Healthcare?
After the previous section, it’s evident that hackers have an easier time attacking healthcare companies than some other businesses. However, it’s essential to notice that there’s a lot to gain from healthcare data breaches.
One main reason is that bad actors can use the data from the attack for financial gain in several ways. For example, they could use it for identity theft or sell it on the dark web.
Furthermore, they can obtain data from notorious individuals such as celebrities, politicians, or entrepreneurs, which allows hackers to blackmail them for financial gain.
Another way hackers can profit from attacking healthcare organizations is through ransomware attacks. This type of attack makes electronic health records and other data inaccessible. The organization must pay a significant amount to gain access.
If a business doesn’t comply with demands or an attack succeeds and can’t be reversed, the results can damage the company’s reputation and lead to hefty fines. Since healthcare services rely on highly personal, confidential, and time-sensitive information, stakeholders often promptly comply with hacker demands.
5 Ways To Prevent a Data Breach in Healthcare
While all businesses must adhere to some compliance regulations, the healthcare industry has it much harder.
The methods below are only a portion of what you should do to protect your business. Protecting against cyber threats is a never-ending process; you should always have professional personnel to update your defences.
Ensure Compliance
Compliance is essential for all businesses that handle user data. These regulations serve as a legal framework for collecting data but can also indicate what cybersecurity measures companies need to implement.
Standards like HIPAA in the U.S., GDPR in Europe, or other regional mandates define specific security measures and protocols for handling PHI. To ensure compliance, companies must adequately encrypt data at rest and in transit and implement adequate access controls.
Companies should also conduct regular audits that will help them identify gaps in their current security posture and rectify them promptly. It’s also essential to have incident response plans, as they’ll ensure timely response and mitigation.
Depending on your location and services, you should explore the compliance standards relevant to your business.
Implement Network Segmentation
Network segmentation is crucial in businesses that deal with sensitive data. TNetwork segmentation aims to limit the cyber attack’s so-called attack surface and lower its potential for harm.
Network segmentation would isolate PHI systems in healthcare from less secure network parts. It should also involve implementing firewalls, allowing cybersecurity experts to manage traffic between segments and restrict unauthorized movement.
Deploying intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS) to identify suspicious activity within network segments is advisable.
Enforce Cybersecurity Training & Education
As mentioned earlier, healthcare professionals often aren’t trained in cybersecurity. Implementing cybersecurity training and education could help you limit the risk of potential data breaches.
Of course, the goal of this training isn’t to have healthcare professionals who know how to do penetration testing. But, the training should help them understand the basics of their online security.
Some of the goals of this training could be to help people understand how to create good passwords, recognise suspicious emails, and provide them with the necessary anti-virus software. Strong passwords can help against unauthorized access and brute-force attacks.
Furthermore, company IT experts should implement role-based access and strong encryption technologies. Cybersecurity training can also lead to better security practices and fewer human errors.
Assess Security Risks in IT Infrastructure
Healthcare companies need to evaluate their IT infrastructure frequently. Regular penetration tests, which simulate cyberattacks to test the resilience of the systems and find weaknesses, are essential for understanding your vulnerabilities.
Accompanied by this, vulnerability scanning tools that detect outdated software, misconfigurations, and other vulnerabilities are essential for properly assessing the risks you’re exposed to.
Cyber risks can also come from your partners and third-party vendors. Therefore, it’s essential to collaborate with healthcare institutions, software providers, secure healthcare messaging platforms and entities that also prioritize cybersecurity.
Secure Cloud Practices
Many healthcare businesses leverage cloud-based applications and software, such as virtual call centres or appointment scheduling software. Furthermore, some businesses directly store patient records on cloud storage rather than on their own servers.
While this is helpful and practical, it can lead to cyber risks. Healthcare companies must choose cloud providers that comply with healthcare security standards and offer strong data protection and encryption measures.
Cloud storage and services must also allow features such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) and limited user access based on roles.
Cybersecurity in Healthcare Is Crucial
The healthcare industry is evolving, and it’s becoming more digitalized. While this benefits patients and healthcare providers significantly, it creates new vulnerabilities. You risk fines, reputational blows, and lawsuits without adequately securing your infrastructure.
As a healthcare provider, you should never cut your cybersecurity expenses, as the costs of threats can be significantly higher. A ransomware attack or phishing scam can cripple your systems which can even lead to bankruptcy.
Follow the tips in this article and prevent the issues that lead to increased risk. Your practice and patients all benefit from enhanced cybersecurity, so start today and look forward to a safer tomorrow.
Jeremy is co-founder & CEO at uSERP, a digital PR and SEO agency working with brands like Monday, ActiveCampaign, Hotjar, and more. He also buys and builds SaaS companies like Wordable.io and writes for publications like Entrepreneur and Search Engine Journal.
Leave a Reply