When we talk about healthcare cybersecurity, hospitals host hundreds or even thousands of patients, making them attractive targets for hackers and a key area of worry for hospital administrators regarding healthcare cybersecurity. This means that ransomware attacks have an influence on hospital cybersecurity, as demonstrated by the 2018 attack on the Hancock Regional Hospital in Greenfield, Indiana. Hackers permanently accessed backup system data and corrupted files, including EHRs. So in this article, we will discuss every detail concerning healthcare cybersecurity and its importance.
What is Healthcare Cybersecurity
Healthcare cybersecurity is the ensuring and availability of medical services, the proper operation of medical systems and equipment, the preservation of the security and integrity of patient data, and compliance with industry rules; it encompasses a number of methods to safeguard companies from external and internal cyber threats. Any organization in the medical sector, including healthcare providers, insurance, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device manufacturers, must prioritize healthcare cybersecurity.
A Field Under Attack
In the past, cyberattacks have primarily targeted the healthcare sector. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights was looking into 860 data breaches reported in the previous 24 months as of January 7, 2022; each breach compromised protected health information (PHI) of at least 500 people. The largest breach, involving 3.25 million people, involved 119 “Business Associates”—vendors and other outside organizations who had access to sensitive patient data. This represents 13.8% of all breaches. According to IBM and Ponemon Institute’s 2021 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average cost of a healthcare breach was $9.23 million, more than double the average cost for all industries, which was $4.24 million.
Healthcare Cybersecurity Problems
These systems include electronic health records (EHRs), fitness trackers, hospital supplies, and software for managing and delivering healthcare. The goal of healthcare cybersecurity is to protect systems from intrusions by blocking illegal access to, use of, and disclosure of patient data. The main objective is to guarantee the accessibility, privacy, and integrity of crucial medical data, which, if compromised, could endanger patient lives.
Cyberattacks can take many different shapes, from ransomware to the theft of personal data. The size of the facility can affect how much of an impact an attack has. Patient privacy protection, the weaknesses of legacy systems in healthcare, IT challenges in healthcare, and security breaches in healthcare are issues that are prevalent across the industry.
#1. Protection of Patient Privacy
The risk of cybercrime rises as the healthcare sector becomes more technologically connected. Insider abuse and outside theft are the two types of stealing. Hackers from outside a healthcare company infiltrate patient and medical systems to steal and acquire data, primarily for financial benefit. This is known as “outside theft.” For instance, they might make false claims to health insurance using patients’ personal information.
#2. Insider Abuse
Insider abuse frequently takes the form of patient data theft done with malice or financial gain in mind. Other examples of insider abuse include convenience (overriding security protocols to facilitate work) and curiosity (unauthorized access to information unrelated to the provision of healthcare). The remaining instances of insider misuse involve unintentional behaviors like human mistakes, like entering data incorrectly into electronic health records (EHRs) or clicking on a phishing email.
Healthcare Cybersecurity Jobs
Careers in cybersecurity for the medical sector provide a wide range of options, from cutting-edge—like safely integrating high-tech medical devices and equipment—to exhilarating—like tracking network attacks and acting quickly to thwart hackers and ransomware. Check out these top five cybersecurity positions in healthcare with excellent long-term prospects and limitless possibilities.
#1. Network Safety
All information gathered and maintained by physicians, hospitals, insurance companies, and anyone else who renders medical services must be securely protected since healthcare records are subject to severe privacy rules. The security of healthcare servers and systems is essential because the majority of medical records are managed digitally and kept on networks.
#2. Emergency Personnel
Although health network security experts attempt to make networks as secure as they can be, attacks will still occur since no network is totally secure. Attackers may also take the network offline, install ransomware or other harmful malware, or both.
#3. Governance and Compliance
HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is a very complex and sophisticated legislation with intricacies that can be difficult to grasp, and it applies to anybody who renders medical services or handles highly sensitive private patient information. Even accidental minor breaches might result in harsh punishments and hefty fines.
#4. Assessment and Control of Risk
The concept behind risk assessment and management is that prevention is always preferable to cure. Members of this team, which is crucial to healthcare cybersecurity, forecast when, and how attacks can occur, determine which ones are most likely, and develop plans to reduce the threats to the network and data security of the industry.
Professionals in network security and risk management for the healthcare industry collaborate to identify the critical information and systems in the overall healthcare infrastructure. They then evaluate the risk, pinpoint any potential security issues or system flaws, and offer their advice on how to lessen those risks and the chance of a network attack.
#5. Security of Medical Devices and the Internet of Things
Protecting patient data and safeguarding networks are common tasks in cybersecurity employment in the healthcare industry, but the Internet of Things (IoT) and medical device security are a little different. It deals with the security of devices including pacemakers, insulin pumps, MRIs, and radiation equipment, as well as how to safely incorporate them into the healthcare system.
Healthcare Cybersecurity Solutions
Healthcare providers face substantial cyber-security challenges, including those that affect hospitals, clinics, and research labs. Although implementing cloud, mobile, and IoT technology increases company effectiveness and service quality, it also makes companies more vulnerable to cyberattacks such as data breaches and ransomware.
Cybersecurity in the Healthcare Case Studies
Hospitals and clinics clearly gain when Internet of Things (IoT) equipment is connected to the clinical network, but this also exposes them to new cyber threats. IoT devices, which range from clinical refrigerators and wheelchairs to infusion pumps, patient monitors, and MRI machines, are inherently unreliable and simple to hack.
The most complete cyber-security solution for IoT in healthcare is provided by Check Point. Check Point eliminates IoT-related threats and continuously reduces IoT attack surfaces thanks to its clinical domain expertise. All this while avoiding disruption of essential medical procedures and being easily scaleable.
Healthcare Cybersecurity Company
One of the most targeted industries in the world is healthcare. Healthcare businesses worldwide were affected by 655 cybersecurity incidents in 2020, but the industry is defending itself. Here are the top 10 cybersecurity firms that work with the healthcare industry.
#1. Bitglass
- Campbell, USA (California)
- 50 employees Nat Kausik is the CEO
- 28 million dollars in revenue
The team behind Bitglass is comprised of seasoned business professionals. The Gartner-MQ-Leading cloud access security broker and zero-trust network access to secure interactions is combined in Bitglass’ Total Cloud Security Platform, a secure access service edge. The business is committed to maintaining the security of the healthcare industry.
Protected health information (PHI), including Social Security numbers, medical histories, and other personal information, is processed and stored by the great majority of healthcare organizations.
#2. CybelAngel
- 180 employees in Paris,
- France CEO: Erwän Keräudy
- $40 million in sales
When it comes to CybelAngel, is a passionate defender of the pharmaceutical sector and a leader in cybersecurity solutions, focusing on External Attack Surface Protection and Management. CybelAngel just conducted a study and found 45 million medical photos online.
#3. CyberMDX
- A company owned by Forescout
- USA New York
- 40 employees CEO: Azi Cohen
- Revenue: US$9.5mn
IoT security leader CyberMDX was bought by Forescout firm in 2022. Azi Cohen, former CEO at CyberMDX and currently leading IoMT technology at Forescout, claims helped the firm increase its ability to protect human lives.
With the surge in attacks on healthcare providers during the pandemic, they focused on ways to give them more immediate and easily accessible help that spans their medical assets as well as traditional IT infrastructures. they innovated to provide choices that can be taken immediately to reduce hazards that were automated in the product. It’s very satisfying to receive this recognition because the team worked incredibly hard to deliver that to market swiftly.
#4.Imprivata
- Waltham, Massachusetts-based Imprivata, 800 workers
- Gus Malezis, CEO
- Revenue: 119 million dollars
Imprivata is revolutionizing how businesses address security issues and safeguard their data. With expertise in single sign-on, authentication management, clinical workflows, secure text messaging, patient identification, identity management, and multi-factor authentication, it is a leader in cybersecurity software, technology, and security. Imprivita also places a lot of emphasis on the medical field.
#5. Meditate
- 100 employees in New York, USA
- Jonathan Langer, CEO
- Income: US$3.4 million
The healthcare companies that Medigate serves can confidently manage their network and devices. Each medical gadget has, on average, 6.2 vulnerabilities, and a hospital loses US$80,000 per hour when it is taken down as a result of a cyberattack. The healthcare industry cannot afford to ignore cybersecurity, and thanks to Medigate, it won’t have to.
Healthcare Cybersecurity Certification
The top healthcare IT certifications for 2023 are shown below.
#1. Certification in Healthcare Data Analytics
Healthcare data analytics qualifications are a new addition to the list this year. Students who choose this career route learn how to use the massive amounts of data that pharmacies, billing systems, electronic health records systems, and other systems acquire. The data analyst will mine data and present it in ways that are meant to enhance patient outcomes, discover patterns, control expenses, and assist healthcare companies in achieving their organizational goals using Excel, Tableau, SAS, SQL Server, and other tools. Courses on data analytics will cover statistical research, creating data models, and utilizing data to spot fraud. In any healthcare business, these jobs have great visibility among senior leadership.
#2. Healthcare Information Security and Privacy Practitioner (HCISPP)
Due to the usual high number of healthcare data breaches this year, security remains a top job field. The HCISPP certification, which is primarily geared toward managers of medical records, risk managers, and security-related managers, is back on the list.
#3. Certification for Amazon Web Services
Amazon is on my list for the third consecutive year because it made multiple forays into the healthcare IT sector in 2019.AWS certifications are currently required for a large number of healthcare IT job ads on the top job boards. AWS certificates come in three levels, and I think that possessing any of them, along with other healthcare IT qualifications and abilities, will give workers a competitive edge. Visit Amazon Web Services Certifications to learn more.
Why is Cybersecurity so Important to the Healthcare industry?
When treating patients, healthcare professionals’ main priority should be to ensure the security of patient information. Cybersecurity measures can considerably aid in the security of sensitive data and possibly stop a future data breach.
Is Cybersecurity a Dying Field?
There are several job opportunities in the fast-expanding subject of cybersecurity across the globe. Cybersecurity has become a crucial part of securing businesses’ precious data and assets as they become more dependent on digital technology and data storage.
What are the Cybersecurity Tools in Healthcare?
- Security operation centers
- Incident response
- As well as email protection systems
- Endpoint protection systems
- Access management
- Data protection and loss prevention
- Asset management
- Network management
- Vulnerability management
- And security operation centers.
How Much Does Healthcare Industry Spend on Cybersecurity?
Healthcare organizations allocate 5% of their annual budget, on average, to cybersecurity. To put things into perspective, the US government allocates 16% of its budget to cybersecurity.
What are some Healthcare Cybersecurity Jobs?
- Information Security Engineer – Healthcare (Remote)
- Business System Analysts (Healthcare Provider/Payer or Cyber Security)
- Security Risk and Compliance Analyst
- Privacy / Cyber Security Health Law Attorney (Any Office/Remote)…
What is the Average Healthcare Cybersecurity Salary?
in America. Importantly, these example occupations pay between $4,785 (3.7%) and $14,552 (11.3%) more than the $128,870 median annual salary for Healthcare Cyber Security.
Conclusion
The digital revolution has affected several industries, including healthcare, in recent years. While this widespread digitization has enhanced medicine in many ways, it has also introduced new hazards. Hospital cybersecurity is more important as the sector turns more and more to digital technology.
One of the businesses most frequently targeted by cybercrime is healthcare. In 2019, the sector saw 525 data breaches or over one-third of all incidents. The condition of healthcare security is alarming, especially when considering the possible repercussions of a hospital being the target of a cyberattack.
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