Page 110 - Cyber Defense eMagazine June 2024

siege from bad actors who are itching to get ahold of high value patient data and turn a profit on the dark
web.

Healthcare Breaches Are On the Rise

The healthcare industry has long been a prime target for cyberattacks with significant and often highly
disruptive consequences. In January of 2024 alone, the U.S Department of Health and Human Services
Office for Civil Rights received reports of at least 61 healthcare data breaches, each involving 500 or
more records. These breaches not only jeopardize patients' sensitive information but also undermine
trust in the healthcare system. The consequences extend beyond financial losses, impacting patient care,
research, and public health initiatives.

In fact, not only do breaches place patient information at risk, but they also threaten the quality of care a
hospital or clinic is able to provide. Medical operations could be disrupted, and regulatory penalties might
ensue, all compromising the institution's ability to deliver effective healthcare services. When entire
systems fail, patients are locked out of online portals, scheduling services can shut down and emergency
care gets greatly reduced due to limited software access.

As these aggressive hacking tactics continue to be used for exploitation, hospitals, clinics and private
practices alike must invest in stronger security infrastructures, implement stringent cybersecurity
protocols, and foster a culture of security awareness to mitigate such risks in the future. As medical
facilities continue to digitize patient records, integrate Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and adopt more
telemedicine solutions, the attack surface for cyber threats has expanded exponentially. With such
technological reliance only expected to increase, attention must now focus on allocating resources to
deploy advanced threat monitoring, swift vulnerability remediation and regular system updates to reduce
the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.

Implement Threat Awareness Training
However, technological solutions alone are never sufficient enough. Building a culture of security
awareness among health professionals and staff is equally vital. Comprehensive training programs
should be in place to educate employees about the latest phishing scams, cyber threats and social
engineering tactics. A tired nurse accidentally clicking a bad link, or an overworked administrator blindly
responding to a bot are avoidable mistakes made by pure human error. But by instilling a proactive
approach that helps IT teams have more eyes on potential threats, every individual within the healthcare
ecosystem becomes a crucial line of defense against malicious attacks.

Automate Traditional Patching Methods

Stepping up vulnerability management also requires swift remediation tactics that focus on recognizing,
remediating and patching security vulnerabilities before hackers can infiltrate enterprise systems and
wreak havoc. Not adequately patching software is leaving medical systems highly exposed. Manuel

Cyber Defense eMagazine – June 2024 Edition 110
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