Security at hospitals and surgeries is a serious issue. Healthcare providers have the right to feel safe as they work and must be able to provide medical care without risk. In the light of sensitive nature of healthcare data and the security risks involved, it is critical for them to have reliable information security in place. Equally, patients need to feel safe and at ease so that their recovery from illness and trauma is made easier and faster. The strategies should not only react and protect the healthcare data but prevent any offensive launches by cyber criminals.
Medical facilities can be surprisingly dangerous places to work for doctors, nurses, receptionists and other health professionals. Their work often involves dealing with incredibly sensitive items on-site too. Confidential patient records and more dangerous items, such as drugs and medical equipment, are often the targets of theft. In this environment, security is absolutely essential.
Ways in which cybersecurity can be a risk in the healthcare sector are as follows:
- Hackers are using creative ways to steal healthcare data
Hackers are always revising new techniques and approaches to identify and exploit the smallest gaps in your security systems and networks. Healthcare involved data is greatly rewarding for hackers as they can forward stolen healthcare data on the black market, use it as fraud and sell patients identities to use in financial transactions.
- Protecting patient information is challenging
In order to safeguard a patient’s healthcare information, they need a solid information security strategy and plan ahead of time. Your cybersecurity service must be up to scratch and be able to detect any offensive behaviour before anything happens.
A good information security service will consider the monitoring of your healthcare information and assess how the data is used between the departments and on the cloud. It will then tailor an information security solution for your facility.
- Ransomware in healthcare
Hackers are hijacking the data of medical facilities in a cyber-crime called ransomware- where you are unable to access back the data until paying them. Ransomware continues to shake the healthcare sector, taking many healthcare facilities hostages and ripping them off for money.
- Insecure mobile apps and email
Insecure mobile and apps is a key reason for why information security is important. Apps and emails are essential to stay competitive in the ongoing change in health care industry. Although, they also present you with security risks. Healthcare services are using apps to ask for information everyday- a big gap for hackers to steal personal information.
Cybersecurity influences every aspect of the Healthcare industry, from the confidentiality of sensitive health information to patient care. Industry and government leaders acknowledge that healthcare trails where it should be in cybersecurity technologies, standards, and processes.
If you wish to discuss how you can implement a safe and secure environment, please do take advantage of our entirely FREE 1:1 consultancy session to explore all things security. Find out more and register here: Workshop: 1:1 Security and Compliance workshop – risual
Alternatively, if you wish to discuss any concerns and solutions immediately, please don’t hesitate to contact us via enquiries@risual.com or 0300 303 2044. You can also submit an enquiry here Contact – risual and someone will be in touch shortly.