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The healthcare industry has a lot of unique security risks, causing the price of a cyberattack to continuously go up. Sensitive medical information is compromised every single day, and things aren’t looking any brighter – healthcare is the second most targeted industry when it comes to malware and cyber attacks with 39% of organizations reporting daily or weekly attacks. So, how do you stay protected?

Healthcare Cybersecurity :: Best Practices

Considering threat entry points, understanding different ransomware attacks, ensuring vendors are compliant, and training employees on proper security protocols is a great start – but you need to make sure all these processes are done properly. It only takes one slip up to allow a threat to get inside. Start here:

Train staff on healthcare cybersecurity protocols – In many cases the weak link is actually someone within the organization because a user unknowingly clicks on a malicious email and your whole system is compromised. Security awareness training can make a world of difference.

Maintain a layered defense system – Having layered security protocols in place means that even if an attacker breaks through one layer, they still won’t be able to access the protected data, and your IT team may be able to identify the attack before it’s too late. You have multiple locked doors to protect your property, why not have multiple layers of defense against your data/network as well? In this case, if a hacker were able to breach one aspect of your defense system, there would be redundant coverage.

Keep software updated – Outdated software makes you more vulnerable to a cyber attack because it’s easier for a hacker to sneak into a system that hasn’t been updated with the latest security patches.

Perform regular risk assessments – Being complacent can cost you. Have your IT team conduct a risk assessment so you can see where your vulnerabilities lie.

Have a recovery plan in place – In the unfortunate event of an attack, the proper data recovery plan will ensure that no data was lost, and can have you up and running much faster.

Trojan Malware :: A Healthcare Cybersecurity Risk

If you’re not already familiar with Trojan Malware, you should be. According to a new study done by Malwarebytes, Trojan Malware is the biggest hacking threat to the healthcare industry because of the amount of personal information held. This type of cyber attack is a more subtle and long-lasting way of gathering intellectual property and personal data. If you’re one of the unlucky ones that gets breached, you not only spend a great amount of time and money to mitigate the issue, but think of the public relations nightmare that follows – healthcare providers will typically spend 64% more annually on advertising to earn back the trust lost and build up their reputation after a healthcare breach.

If you have the proper IT services in place you’ll know that your data is protected, even as the malware gets more sophisticated. Updates are consistently being made to defend your data by directly tracking and identifying threats, then using that information to continuously enhance your levels of protection.

Unfortunately, ransomware and malware aren’t going away – hackers are continuing to adapt and their practices are becoming more and more sophisticated. If you’re in the healthcare industry you simply must have an emergency response plan for a cyberattack.

If you have questions as to how vulnerable your system is, or whether you need additional coverage in place, we can help. Through a sophisticated network of compliance, security, business continuity, and disaster recovery, we can get your healthcare facility on the right track.

IT Resource is serving healthcare providers throughout the midwest, with clients located throughout Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, and Wisconsin.