Poor Cybersecurity Hygiene Puts Healthcare Industry in Critical Condition
Hospitals and medical providers are on high alert after a devastating cyber-attack brought National Laboratory Services to a standstill, potentially endangering patients’ lives and exposing their private data to criminal elements.
As the healthcare industry joins a long list of sectors currently targeted by cybercriminals, medical firms are looking to strengthen their defences against online attacks. In this article, we examine the current cybercrime landscape in the healthcare industry and how the concept of cybersecurity hygiene can help protect vulnerable organisations.
National Laboratory Services hit by a major cyberattack
Cybercriminals made headlines once again last month when they carried out a ransomware attack against National Laboratory Services, one of the largest providers of pathology services to public hospitals.
- The laboratory network, responsible for testing blood and other human tissue samples for the medical profession, came to a standstill as its systems were offline for a period of weeks.
- An estimated 6 million test results were rendered unavailable by the attack, delaying operations and chronic illness treatments nationwide.
- Medical information, particularly urgent test results that could influence treatment outcomes, has become fair game for cybercriminals, who show no mercy when it comes to the type of information they’re willing to hold hostage.
In the wake of the attack, medical providers and hospitals across the country are scrambling to enhance their cybersecurity measures.
Fortunately, the concept of cybersecurity hygiene, which should resonate with the healthcare industry, is one of the most effective ways to achieve higher levels of data protection.
Ensure a healthy network with cybersecurity hygiene
To safeguard data at a time when cyberattacks are increasing daily, a reliable set of preventative measures is required. Much like the hygiene practices commonplace in hospitals and doctors’ offices, these procedures can result in fewer malware infections, ransomware incidents, and hacking attempts if implemented conscientiously.
- Limit access to critical data: Password-protected files with multi-factor authentication should be standard in every hospital and medical practice today. This not only protects patient privacy but also keeps sensitive files out of the wrong hands.
- Invest in cybersecurity defences: Examples of these include updated firewalls and the latest antivirus software. Additionally, secure cloud storage and automated backups featuring encryption technology provide significant layers of protection for your data.
- Train staff to recognise cyberattacks: With many cyberattacks occurring through social engineering staff need to be trained to identify suspicious emails and communications, and to never disclose sensitive information to third parties.
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