Healthcare Ransomware Attacks 2021 – Why It Remains a Problem and How to Stop It
September 14, 2021
If data has value, then electronic health records are a treasure trove, and cyber-criminals know this.
With many healthcare organizations again being stretched thin to address rising COVID-19 case counts, there’s little doubt that we’ll see a steady drumbeat of new healthcare ransomware attacks, building on the record number so far this year (2021) and beyond.
While risks will always remain—and one can make a compelling argument that it’s not a question of whether an enterprise will suffer a data breach, but when—healthcare organizations can radically strengthen their security stance by keeping several basic points in mind and acting accordingly. For organizations evaluating their IT partners, understanding what HITRUST certification is and why it matters is one of those foundational points, given that HITRUST requires ongoing controls rather than a single annual audit. Concrete guidance on how to prevent cyber attacks in healthcare includes building a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, running phishing simulations, and partnering with a managed security services provider.
In a recent article in SC Magazine, MTS CEO Mona Abutaleb discusses why ransomware threats in healthcare will continue to grow, and how to address them with detailed, expert advice, including:
- Why it’s important to make sure every employee understands what’s at stake, and how to accomplish that.
- How and why to treat phishing simulation programs as more than an IT or even a security issue, and how to customize these programs.
- What’s involved to create a multi-faceted security stance that addresses ransomware and phishing, but doesn’t stop there. Building that stance on a recognized standard for healthcare security compliance gives organizations a structured way to identify gaps, measure maturity, and maintain a consistent posture against evolving threats.
- What to consider if the worst occurs—how will you quickly resume operations?
