Page 127 - Cyber Defense eMagazine October 2023

identify and avoid common cyber threats, it’s imperative to augment it with creative and targeted
training as well. Referencing question 1 above, different individuals or departments might
experience different types of cyberattacks, hence the importance of a targeted approach.
Additionally, everybody responds to general security training differently, therefore it is critical for
cybersecurity practitioners to think of different methods to get the attention of all employees.
Partnership is essential, encourage employees to speak up about any cybersecurity concerns or
suggestions, including suspicious emails, calls, or texts they receive.
4. How do we measure and validate the effectiveness of our cybersecurity posture against cyber
threats? There is no perfect security! If you were to respond to a significant ransomware attack
tomorrow, how confident are you with the existing plan to respond to and recover from it? Always
challenge and improve the plan to better prepare for such attacks to reach the desired level of
confidence, which should be based on the organization’s risk tolerance. View cyber threats as
opportunities to learn from and improve your security against future attacks. There is no end
destination for cybersecurity—it is a continuous journey.

Strong cybersecurity is a business enabler

Contrary to common belief, security does not have to be only a cost center. In fact, it can become an
essential business enabler. Strong cybersecurity is a boon to organizational reputation and an integral
component of a business including revenue operations.

As healthcare organizations, the safety and well-being of patients is of the highest priority. It is important
to put in the work to avoid any threats, because as we saw in the case of Prospective Medical, these
threats can directly impact providers ability to care for their patients. Investing in strong cybersecurity
measures is key to not only protecting revenue and reputation but also improving patient safety and care.
Put in the work now to prevent breaches before they happen and prepare your organization to respond
to security threats—your employees, your patients, and your organization’s future will thank you.

About the Author

Saeed Valian is the Chief Information Security Officer at symplr. He is
a healthcare industry CISO with 20 years of comprehensive IT
Infrastructure and Information Security experience, Saeed can share
what healthcare organizations need to do today to protect patient data
and position themselves for revenue growth, productivity, and success.
Saeed Valian can be reached online at
https://www.linkedin.com/in/saeedvalian/ and at our company website
https://www.symplr.com/.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – October 2023 Edition 127
Copyright © 2023, Cyber Defense Magazine. All rights reserved worldwide.