Cyberthreats are Everywhere…. Are You Prepared?

In a world that’s become increasingly digital, cyberthreats and attacks are now more persistent and sophisticated. Global cyber attacks are on the rise. The question you need to answer now more than ever is: how do you prevent cyber attacks for your business? Consumers of technology are challenged to recognize just how vulnerable they may be. The costs associated with cyberattacks are not only financial but also quite personal. The aftermath of any cyberattack can certainly be detrimental to the facility that’s been targeted, but perhaps even more devastating to the patients in their care. The foundation of any healthcare organization today is built on the technology it employs to manage its core operations, secure critical data and business applications, and protect private patient health information security. Proper maintenance and management of this technology are essential to the success of your practice.

The aftermath of any cyberattack can certainly be detrimental to the facility that’s been targeted, but perhaps even more devastating to the patients in their care.

Cybercriminals are relentless in their efforts to access your patients’ records. Make no mistake: bad actors do not discriminate when it comes to the size of their targets. According to an April 2022 survey conducted by consulting firm Software Advice, 22% of small practices and 45% of large practices have experienced a ransomware attack. However, with a larger entity, such as a hospital or medical group, there is the potential for more gaps to be exposed to a motivated hacker. Unsecured and unattended, these gaps can lead to massive amounts of data being stolen, compromised, or held for ransom.

What are healthcare cyberthreats that have happened? Recently a cyberattack on Yuma Regional Medical Center, a 406-bed facility in Arizona, exposed the data of 700,000 individuals. While this April 2022 breach had been the largest reported healthcare cyberattack year-to-date, just a month later Partnership HealthPlan of California had just over 855,000 patient records stolen. That same month, yet another facility was attacked, this one a medical imaging company based in Massachusetts. The Shields Health Care Group, Inc. breach involved over 2 million patient records throughout 50 locations. Over the last 3 years, we have seen an 84% increase in the number of data breaches at healthcare facilities. With little hope for retreat, healthcare breaches are on the rise!

Cybercriminals are relentless in their efforts to access your patients’ records. Make no mistake: bad actors do not discriminate when it come to the size of their targets.

So, how do you prevent and/or deal with cyberthreats, safeguard your practice, and prepare for what some say is the inevitable? What are the best practices a healthcare group can put in place to help secure their patient data? Here are some best practices that Med Tech Solutions has developed and implemented for our clients.

• Your first line of defense is your people. Ensure your staff is aware of and prepared for the more typical types of cyberthreats, namely ransomware and phishing attacks. A properly trained team is a key deterrent to keeping cybercriminals out. Conduct regular training that includes phishing simulations. Perform routine PEN and vulnerability testing. Schedule an annual Security Risk Assessment (SRA) – it’s required by regulators. And have regular meetings with your staff to update them on test results and your efforts to create a more secure environment.
• Staying up-to-date with your software is also a big step forward in developing good routines and strengthening your security posture. Without regular updates, cybercriminals can find workarounds to penetrate the systems you have in place. Make sure that updates are performed regularly – this is a key component to keeping critical data safe.
• Controlling who has access to patient data sounds simple but failing to do so can be catastrophic to your group. Ensuring that ONLY authorized individuals have access to sensitive data gives you the ability to audit who has reviewed it and when they were in the system. Removing access to those no longer with the organization should be done upon the individual’s last day with the company. However, performing access audits will ensure you don’t have anyone in your system that shouldn’t be.
• Perform SRA’s on a regular basis! If you aren’t sure where you are most vulnerable, it is much harder to protect yourself from attacks. Complacency is the number one enemy internally. Make sure that you are doing these assessments routinely to stay ahead of the curve.
• Don’t be afraid to outsource your security information management. Managing security threats is a 24/7/365 job. Furthermore, it’s not always easy for an IT department to manage security around the clock and still get IT projects done during the normal course of the day. Invest in a next-generation cybersecurity option that actively hunts for threats and can keep an eye on things for you. Downtime is detrimental in so many ways. Having the right security in place will help mitigate the downtime and let you give your patients the focus – and security – they deserve.

Now is the time to take those necessary steps to shore up the sensitive information that you generate, store, and update for all your patients!

With ransomware continuing to evolve as a major threat to healthcare, are you truly prepared to protect your patient’s private health information? Now is the time to take those necessary steps to shore up the sensitive information that you generate, store, and update for all your patients!

There’s no time like the present to start strengthening your security posture! Begin with the basics: learn where you are most vulnerable with MTS phishing simulation services, and schedule your next Security Risk Assessment. It’s an annual requirement…so don’t delay! Contact us today.