In an age when technology has seamlessly integrated itself into every aspect of life, the healthcare sector has been no exception. Through the growth of the digital revolution, metropolitan hospitals and rural practices alike have adopted the use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Electronic Health Records (EHR). These systems have transformed patient care by enabling instant access to medical histories, treatment plans and diagnostic information. But at the same time, doctors and staff having access to such a wealth of sensitive information at their fingertips means it is only that much more accessible to a malicious hacker seeking to exploit and turn a profit.
With vast amounts of data stored electronically, the healthcare industry has become a lucrative target for cyberattacks. According to a recent report released by IBM in 2023, attacks on the healthcare industry exceed over $10 million per breach. The smallest of vulnerabilities or phishing attempts can unlock the door to compromised patient privacy, identity theft and financial fraud if medical records are tampered with or held for ransom. Additionally, the interconnected nature of healthcare systems means that a breach at one facility can have far-reaching implications across the entire network.
When it comes to value in the eyes of a cybercriminal, an EMR commands the highest price on a dark web forum, rising far above the lesser options of a social security number or credit card number of an individual. The reason for it is simple: unlike a credit card that can be canceled, personal data cannot. This significant value disparity further underscores the extreme risk the healthcare industry continues to face as they remain a prime target for attacks.
In response to these challenges, healthcare providers are opting to heavily invest in cybersecurity measures that can ensure the integrity of their systems while reducing risk to their operational and financial stability. Addressing these risks requires robust security measures and continuous vulnerability monitoring of systems. Data encryption, automatic deletion of data after migration, internal cyber training and vulnerability patching are just a few security measures institutions can implement to better position themselves against attack.
The process of patch management in modern healthcare is often met with a variety of obstacles. From budget constraints, to IT teams being overworked and understaffed, to limited detection capabilities and alert fatigue, security teams often do not have the resources to take on such a time-consuming task. Current means of conventional patching requires system-wide reboots to load the patched code into the kernel. Because of this, the patching process often requires extensive coordination between security teams, staff, hospital administrators and even stakeholders to schedule operational downtime. These delays not only disrupt system functions but negatively impact the doctor/patient relationship and possibly even lifesaving services.
While outsourcing this task to a third party like a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) can aid in handling the workload, MSSPs are usually swarmed with their own extensive security to-do lists. Instead, IT teams are turning to automated live patching to streamline the process significantly. With live patching, IT, DevOps and SOC teams can put their security patching on autopilot in the background and deploy patches to vulnerabilities as soon as they become available, completely eliminating the window of exploitable risk they create.
Automating this process provides a long-term solution to the complex challenge of maintaining cybersecurity standards and compliance in the healthcare sector. By mitigating vulnerabilities in real-time, disruptions can be minimized and attack surfaces can be greatly reduced. While traditional methods of patch management require logistical hurdles and resource constraints, live patching provides an efficient and proactive approach to safeguard sensitive patient data and preserve the integrity of critical healthcare systems.
While patching fights threats from the outside, security teams must also be focused on threats that could come from within. This means increasing cybersecurity awareness training for all levels of staff, from major hospitals to smaller clinics and private practice offices. Combating the “people problem” in cybersecurity through comprehensive and ongoing training ensures that those handling highly sensitive data and EMR’s are an asset instead of a risk to the organization. One mistake from an exhausted nurse at the end of her shift accidentally clicking a phishing link or a front desk admin processing multiple ER patients and clicking the wrong button, could be devastating for the organization and cost millions in lost data and recovery time.
By providing employees with basic threat detection skills and annual security training, in-office vulnerabilities can be greatly reduced and help mitigate the severity of attacks. Through continuous cyber awareness training, employees can strengthen data privacy and password management while also developing cyber hygiene habits that will be a worthy investment for the organization. By preparing for security incidents ahead of time in this way, the healthcare sector can maintain a bolstered security posture of readiness.
Ensuring an effective cybersecurity training and defense system from your clinic or hospital can not only be affordable but can provide your institution with powerful safeguards against future attacks. In an industry that is already overwhelmed on a daily basis, implementing automated security measures and upticking security protocols can greatly alleviate the strain on resources and personnel.
