Disruptions in hospitals. Stolen patient data. Rescheduled emergency operations. Ransom demands. These are just some of the headlines we’ve been seeing lately. Cyberattacks on healthcare affect not only patient data but also the hospitals’ operations and, with it, the patient’s lives.
The threat is so real that even America’s Cyber Defense Agency (CISA) published an article warning about the impact of cyberattacks on healthcare organizations in the US and the importance of protecting patient data.
- But why do cyberattacks on healthcare happen?
- How do cybercriminals target healthcare organizations?
- What can you do to protect yourself?
With over 25 years of experience in cybersecurity, ASi Networks understands what healthcare organizations need to fight these looming threats. Contact us to start protecting your assets and reputation.
Why is healthcare the most targeted sector by cyberattacks in the U.S.?
While malicious actors are all around us, several reasons make healthcare the most targeted sector by cyber criminals:
Valuable and sensitive medical data
Hospitals and healthcare organizations hold immense amounts of data, including patients’ medical and personal information, insurance details, and financial information. This data is highly valuable, especially on the black market, where cybercriminals can sell it and later use it for identity theft, insurance fraud, and other illicit activities.
Slower detection time
Many healthcare organizations struggle to implement modern and secure devices that will detect unauthorized access on time. Budget constraints, overworked personnel, and a focus on patient care often put security in the back row, making it easy for attackers to find their way into the system undetected.
High ransom potential
Healthcare organizations are essential service providers, so they are under immense pressure to be available 24/7. This makes them a lucrative target for cybercriminals, who demand high ransoms in exchange for the resources needed to provide patient care.
Aging infrastructure
The combination of outdated systems, low-security devices, unpatched software, and untrained staff makes hospitals and healthcare entities easy targets for attacks.
The outdated devices lack essential security patches, creating vulnerabilities cybercriminals can exploit. Additionally, medical devices have minimal security protection but are connected to the organization’s network, providing easy access to outsiders.
Top cybersecurity risks for healthcare organizations in the U.S.
Cybercriminals are becoming increasingly unpredictable and employ modern tactics to commit malicious acts. This, combined with the lack of resources and insufficient training, creates gaps that threat actors can easily exploit.
Here are some of the main cybersecurity risks for healthcare organizations:
Ransomware
Ransomware is one of the most prevalent cybersecurity threats facing healthcare organizations. Ransomware attacks introduce malware into a system, encrypting its data and preventing organizations from accessing it until a ransom is paid.
This is especially critical for healthcare entities because of the urgency to restore operations, which often forces them to pay ransom quickly.
Phishing
Due to the lack of employee training in cybersecurity, healthcare entities often fall victim to phishing. Phishing is a type of cyberattack in which threat actors use emails and messages containing malicious links to trick individuals into clicking them.
Once they click the link, it could lead them to a malicious website, download malware, or lead them to provide even more data that will provide access to critical systems. This could put at risk patient data, financial information, hospital operations, and networks.
Hacktivism
With recent geopolitical events, we’ve seen a significant rise in hacktivism, which refers to groups that carry out cyberattacks on healthcare organizations for political or social motives.
Healthcare entities are often prime targets for these groups for their sensitive data and public impact, which could disrupt public services, promote controversial causes, or leak medical data.
Unsecured IoT devices
The rise of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in healthcare keeps creating new cybersecurity challenges. Devices such as connected medical devices, wearables, and smart sensors often have minimal security protection, making them easy entry points into the healthcare organization’s network.
Supply chain attacks
Healthcare organizations are among the most interconnected entities. They depend on and work with thousands of third-party vendors that provide billing, medical devices, and data storage services. It’s almost impossible to control and monitor all these vendors. Still, a vulnerability in any third-party system can lead to a breach of the hospital entity and affect millions of patient records.
Prevention and security strategies against attacks
While the threat landscape keeps shifting, several strategies have proven to be effective in preventing and detecting attacks. Here’s what you can do to protect your healthcare assets and patient data:
Risk assessments
Regular risk assessments detect vulnerabilities by evaluating current security measures, identifying potential threats, and determining an organization’s risks. This helps healthcare entities prioritize risks and address the security gaps before anyone can use them to gain unauthorized access.
Disaster recovery plan
A disaster recovery plan outlines the actions and procedures after disruptive events. This is especially important for healthcare organizations under pressure to resume operations immediately.
Compliance
Various regulations provide detailed guidance on protecting patient data’s confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Some of the most important healthcare regulations in the US are:
- The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) establishes national standards for protecting electronic patient health information.
- The HITECH Act (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health) strengthens HIPAA by introducing penalties for non-compliance. It also mandates that healthcare entities inform the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and individuals if a breach occurs.
- ISO/IEC 27001 provides a framework for protecting sensitive information, including healthcare information.
Employee training
A large portion of successful cyberattacks on healthcare occur due to employees’ lack of knowledge. Because of this, healthcare providers need to conduct comprehensive training to educate staff about the best cybersecurity practices and how to protect themselves and the organizational resources from common attacks.
Websites like KnowBe4 are great resources for cybersecurity training. They offer several plans for different organizations and can help you keep your employees up to date with the latest trends.
Device protection
Protecting organizational devices is one of the most essential steps to safeguard data. All devices with patient data access need endpoint security, such as antivirus software, firewalls, and encryption that will detect and prevent known threats.
Third-party risk assessment
Healthcare organizations must proactively evaluate and manage security risks associated with third-party vendors. This involves analyzing vendors based on data sensitivity and service criticality, forming contracts with vendors that meet specific cyber security requirements, and regularly monitoring third parties’ security postures.
How ASi Networks’ services can help protect your patient data
Partnering with a managed IT service provider is the first step towards safeguarding healthcare assets, operations, and patient data. Our comprehensive healthcare IT services can ensure your IT infrastructure is optimized and secure, preventing vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
By monitoring and managing your systems 24/7, ASi Networks ensures that all devices and software are secured. Additionally, we use the latest threat protection tools and technology to detect and neutralize threats like malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks.
Our scalable cloud services are designed for small, medium, and large healthcare organizations. They help manage patient data easily while remaining compliant with industry regulations.
How ASi Networks thwarted a phishing attack on a healthcare clinic
Challenge
With hundreds of employees handling sensitive patient information daily, a healthcare clinic was worried about the potential for a successful attack to disrupt operations and compromise patient data.
“Our team was on high alert. We knew that even a single successful phishing attack could have devastating consequences.”
Solution
ASi Networks did a free security audit, which quickly detected vulnerabilities within the clinic’s email systems and employee practices. To address these issues, we implemented a multi-layered email security solution. Additionally, ASi Networks held several meetings with management and employees to raise awareness about phishing threats.
“The security consulting was a game-changer. Everyone became much more vigilant, and it wasn’t just another boring cybersecurity lecture. It was engaging, practical, and really hit home.”
Outcome
Several days after the implementation, the clinic faced a sophisticated phishing attack that targeted key employees with access to electronic health records (EHRs). The attack used a series of well-crafted emails that mimicked internal communications and included malicious links. Thanks to the advanced email security measures, the phishing attempt was swiftly identified and neutralized before any damage could occur.
“When we got the alert, it was clear the attackers had done their homework. They knew exactly who to target and how to make the emails look legitimate. But thanks to ASi Networks, our defenses held strong. We were able to stop the attack cold.”
As a result, the clinic avoided a potentially disastrous breach and gained confidence in its ability to handle future threats.
“ASi Networks didn’t just give us tools; they empowered our team to be part of the solution. We’re more secure today because of it.”
Conclusion
As the threat landscape evolves, so do our security measures. We prioritize your and your patients’ interests, which is why we employ the latest security technology and methods in our everyday work.
Contact ASi Networks at +1 (800) 251-1336 to discuss your cyber future and stop malicious actors in their tracks.
