The top 5 cyber security issues in the healthcare industry
Healthcare technology has seen some revolutionary advances throughout the years, and that trend shows no signs of stopping. In fact, it’s because of these improvements that people are living better, longer lives, which, in turn, forces the sector to scale in efficiency even faster.
However, this current era of digital transformation comes with digital risks. As the amount of data created, stored, and distributed across the healthcare sector increases exponentially, so do threats to the systems that handle it.
From client engagements around the world and decades spent improving healthcare cyber security, we've listed the five most pressing cyber security concerns for healthcare organizations today:
1. Ransomware attacks
2. Third-party vendor risks
3. Legacy systems and technology
4. HIPAA compliance and data privacy regulations
5. Phishing and insider threats.
In the first part of this article, we shared CEO’s thoughts on each of those five concerns and outlined risks, approaches, and advice to consider when dealing with ransomware attacks, third-party vendors, and legacy systems. Now, let’s wrap up our list by examining data privacy compliance and phishing or insider threats within the healthcare industry.
Healthcare's data explosion: Navigating the risks of data overload and complex requirements
From patient medical records and lab results to insurance claims and prescriptions, healthcare organizations manage vast amounts of sensitive information. Data is both a critical asset and a serious risk. The rapid expansion of digital health services and strict regulatory requirements have created a perfect storm of complexity for healthcare providers.
At the heart of this complexity is data lifecycle management—the challenge of securely managing data from its creation to its eventual disposal. If data is mishandled at any stage of its lifecycle, it can expose your organization to significant risks, including cyberattacks, compliance violations, and breaches of patient trust. The ever-growing amount of data healthcare organizations must handle and the fragmented systems across which it is stored and processed only compound this challenge.
Data sprawl and fragmented security
As healthcare organizations expand and digitize, the amount of sensitive data they collect, store, and process grows exponentially. Data is created and used in multiple formats—EHRs, diagnostic images, lab results, and more—across numerous systems, departments, and third-party vendors. With this explosion of data comes an increase in the attack surface for cybercriminals to exploit.
The key risks surrounding data lifecycle management in healthcare include:
- Data sprawl: Sensitive data is spread across multiple systems, devices, and locations. Without a clear, centralized view of where all your data resides, it becomes harder to secure and monitor effectively.
- Outdated and unsecure storage: Many healthcare organizations rely on legacy systems that are not equipped to handle the modern demands of data security. These systems are often vulnerable to attacks, and their lack of interoperability complicates efforts to monitor and protect data across its lifecycle.
- Data retention and disposal: Keeping data longer than necessary not only increases the volume of sensitive information you need to protect but also increases the chances of non-compliance with regulations like HIPAA and HITRUST. Failing to properly dispose of old data creates opportunities for cybercriminals to exploit.
- Third-party risks: As healthcare providers work with more third-party vendors to manage data, it becomes difficult to ensure that partners are adhering to the same strict security standards.
These challenges leave healthcare organizations vulnerable to breaches, ransomware, and costly compliance violations. So, how do you ensure that your data is safe at every stage of its lifecycle—from creation and storage to sharing and disposal?
Building a comprehensive approach to data lifecycle management
Security firms must specialize in helping healthcare organizations develop and implement a comprehensive data lifecycle management strategy. We understand the complex nature of healthcare data, as well as the regulatory demands placed on organizations to protect that data at every stage of its existence. Our approach here at NCC Group is built on three pillars: visibility, protection, and governance.
1. Data discovery and mapping
You can't protect what you don't know exists. We start by conducting a full data discovery and mapping exercise across your organization to create a clear picture of where all your sensitive data resides. This includes data stored in on-premises systems, cloud environments, medical devices, and third-party applications. We help you identify what data is mission-critical, what needs to be retained, and what can be archived or disposed of.
By understanding the flow of data across your organization, we ensure that you can make informed decisions about where security measures need to be enhanced and which data can be safely eliminated.
2. End-to-end encryption and secure storage
Once we've mapped your data, we implement advanced encryption protocols to ensure that sensitive information remains protected at rest and in transit. Whether your data is stored in a legacy system or a modern cloud platform, we secure it with the highest encryption standards, reducing the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches.
In addition, we help you assess and modernize your data storage solutions. For legacy systems that are difficult to replace, we apply segmentation and additional security layers to limit access and ensure sensitive data remains protected.
3. Automated data retention and disposal policies
One of the biggest risks healthcare organizations face is holding onto data longer than necessary. We work with you to create automated data retention policies that ensure your data is stored for only as long as it's required. By automating this process, we reduce the risk of human error or oversight, ensuring that old data is archived or securely disposed of in accordance with HIPAA, HITRUST, and other regulatory requirements.
We implement secure data disposal practices, such as cryptographic wiping and media destruction, so that you can rest assured that sensitive information is permanently and safely eliminated when no longer needed.
4. Data access control and monitoring
Securing your data isn't just about protecting it at rest—it's about controlling who has access to it and ensuring that every access request is justified. We help you implement strict access control policies using multifactor authentication, role-based access, and the principle of least privilege. This ensures that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data and only when absolutely necessary.
Our continuous monitoring solutions provide real-time visibility into data access, usage, and potential threats. If unauthorized access is detected, we act swiftly to block access and investigate the incident.
5. Compliance and governance
Compliance is a critical concern for healthcare organizations handling sensitive patient data. We help you establish data governance frameworks that align with regulatory requirements such as HIPAA, HITRUST, and GDPR. By incorporating data protection best practices into your workflows, we ensure that your organization is always audit-ready and in compliance with relevant laws and standards.
We also conduct regular compliance audits and risk assessments to help you stay ahead of evolving regulatory demands. Our goal is to make data governance a seamless process. Then, you can focus on delivering quality care while maintaining the highest level of data protection.
The bottom line: Take control of your data to minimize risk
The proliferation of healthcare data is only going to continue, but with the right data lifecycle management strategy in place, you can stay ahead of the risks. By securing, monitoring, and managing your data from creation to disposal, you can protect patient privacy, ensure regulatory compliance, and reduce your exposure to cyber threats.
Mitigating phishing and insider threats in healthcare
In the fast-paced world of healthcare, where the focus is rightly on patient care and operational efficiency, cyber security often takes a backseat. Yet, the rising threats of phishing and insider attacks pose significant risks to healthcare organizations.
Here's how these challenges manifest:
- Phishing: Healthcare organizations are prime targets for phishing attacks, the all-too-common practice where hackers attempt to glean sensitive information under false pretenses or bait victims with fraudulent, malware-laden links. Why? Because they hold a treasure trove of sensitive information—patient records, personal data, and financial details. Phishing campaigns, often disguised as legitimate communication, exploit the varying levels of cyber security awareness among clinical and administrative staff. This can lead to compromised credentials, unauthorized data access, and severe data breaches.
- Insider threats: Cyber risk doesn't only come from outside. Insider threats, whether malicious or accidental, present a growing concern. With staff having access to a vast amount of sensitive data, a lack of stringent controls and oversight can lead to inadvertent data exposure or intentional misuse of information.
Proactive and comprehensive protection
Protecting your organization against these threats requires a multi-faceted approach. Here are a few examples of the services we’ve worked with clients to deliver to safeguard sensitive healthcare data:
1. Tailored training and awareness programs
We offer customized cyber security training designed specifically for healthcare professionals. Our programs focus on increasing awareness about phishing scams and social engineering tactics, empowering your staff to recognize and respond effectively to potential threats. By addressing the unique needs of both clinical and administrative teams, we help reduce the risk of accidental breaches and enhance organizations' overall security posture.
2. Advanced threat detection and response
We create optimized threat detection solutions engineered to identify phishing attempts and insider threats in real-time. We deploy sophisticated monitoring systems that analyze user behavior and detect anomalies indicative of potential insider threats or phishing attempts. This proactive approach allows a swift response to any suspicious activities, minimizing the risk of data breaches.
3. Comprehensive access controls and monitoring
Effective management of insider threats starts with robust access controls. We help implement granular access policies, ensuring that employees only have access to the data necessary for their roles. Coupled with continuous monitoring, these controls help prevent unauthorized data access and detect any anomalies that could indicate malicious or accidental insider threats.
4. Incident response and forensics
A good IR team is always ready to provide immediate support in the event of a security incident. Forensic analysis, now more important than ever, is part of a comprehensive effort to determine the scope and impact of the breach. Our goal is to resolve the issue, learn from the incident, and strengthen defenses against future threats.
5. Ongoing support and improvement
Cyber security is not a one-time fix but an ongoing process. We partner with healthcare entities to continuously assess and improve your security posture. Regular updates to training programs, threat detection systems, and access controls ensure the organization remains resilient against evolving threats.
The bottom line: Knowledge is empowerment
91% of cyber attacks start by phishing efforts. That’s a scary statistic but creating a strong company culture of security awareness can help you beat the odds. From the top down, take the time to offer effective and engaging cyber security awareness programs for all staff. The threat landscape is always changing, and that means your trainings must update as well.
About the author
VP of Consulting & Implementation Services, NCC Group NA
Michael is responsible for leading NCC Group's Strategy, Risk, and Compliance services within the company's Consulting & Implementation capability. He is a seasoned IT, security, and telecoms executive with a proven career of designing, implementing, and running global information security programs, operations, and advanced cyber technical services for Fortune 100 companies.
Over a 25-year career, Michael has held multiple leadership roles, built and run over 20 global cyber security operation centers, and overseen security for some of the world’s largest sporting events including multiple Olympics and the Rugby World Cup.
NCC Group and healthcare sector cyber security
Ransomware, third-party risks, legacy technology, regulatory requirements, phishing, and internal threats are some of the most significant issues healthcare entities face today. While I wish that were the end of the list, more threats are always looming around the corner. Through continued education, collaboration, and expertise, we can all play a part in strengthening the sector.
Why we're different
Our deep understanding of the healthcare industry sets us apart. We recognize that your top priority is patient care and that any downtime can have life-threatening consequences. That's why we tailor our approach to ensure minimal disruption, whether you're a hospital, clinic, or healthcare system. We don't just protect your data; we protect your ability to deliver care.
Additionally, our partnership doesn't end after the first engagement. We continuously work with your team to assess evolving threats, enhance your defenses, and fine-tune your recovery strategies. Cyber security isn't a one-time fix; it's an ongoing commitment, and we're with you every step of the way.
Why Partner with Us?
At NCC Group, we don't just deliver services—we become your trusted partner in protecting the integrity of your healthcare operations. We understand the intricacies of healthcare regulations, patient data protection, and the growing magnitude of external and internal threats to your organization.
Our team is dedicated to helping you navigate these complexities with confidence.
• Industry expertise: We have extensive experience in healthcare cybersecurity, ensuring we understand the unique challenges you face when it comes to protecting sensitive health data.
• Patient-first approach: Our solutions are designed with patient care in mind. We know that system downtime can impact lives, so we focus on minimizing disruption while maximizing protection.
• Tailored solutions: We don't believe in one-size-fits-all approaches. We take the time to understand your specific vendor ecosystem and tailor our risk management strategies to meet your needs.
• Proactive support: We're not just here to fix problems after they happen. We work with you proactively to identify risks, implement solutions, and create a sustainable data governance framework that protects you well into the future.
• End-to-end support: From initial assessments to continuous monitoring and incident response, we are with you at every step. We build resilient security frameworks that not only protect your data but also ensure compliance with HIPAA, HITRUST, and other regulatory standards.
Healthcare cyber security for safer, more secure patient care.
NCC Group provides a full range of capabilities to test your systems, implement effective security controls, and respond efficiently when cyber attacks become a crisis. Get the details on how we can address your unique challenges.