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Healthcare records confidential patient data that are at risk if proper measures are not taken. Reducing vulnerabilities through best practices can reduce data security breaches.
FREMONT, CA: Cloud web-based services are an alternative to physical record keeping, but it has opened the healthcare field to cyberattacks and potential insecurity. Healthcare services record large volumes of personally identifiable information (PII) and personal health information (PHI). Cyberattacks threaten confidential patient information through many gateways.
Ways cyberattacks threaten healthcare data security.
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Ransomeware: According to the FBI, the healthcare sector faces the highest rates of malware attacks. Phishing, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) exploitation, and software vulnerability exploitation are the three most common ways attackers gain access to patient information.
Electronic health records (EHR) vulnerabilities: EHR make accessing patient information more efficient, but certain vulnerabilities can exist. A large database of PHI attracts cyberattacks as the dark web is a market for PHI. Data like social security numbers, insurance, and payment details sell for a high price.
Mobile apps and services: Medical apps are an economical option for diagnosis for many low-income households. Information passed and stored by these apps has a higher risk. Most apps do not have effective security features.
Internet of Things (IoT): The IoT makes processes simpler but is prone to security vulnerabilities. Sixty-three percent of healthcare companies have faced security issues due to unmanaged IoT devices. IoT devices often lack proper security features.
Insider threats: Negligent staff, current or former employees, and vendors of medical facilities pose potential threats to accessible data. Best practices of healthcare data security can limit the chances of a data breach. Providing data security knowledge to staff and patient prevents data theft. Encrypting data makes it difficult to decrypt it from external sources. Monitoring and logging data access in devices used by staff can keep track of activities. Logging activities create a trail during audits. Backing up data in off-site locations can offset cyberattacks.
External and internal threats threaten healthcare data security due to oversights of patients and the lack of effective protection against malware and threats. Many apps do not use multi-factor authentication (MFA). Patients use the same password for all accounts. These mistakes lead to data breaches. FollowingThe above mentioned best practices can increase healthcare data security.
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