Healthcare Ransomware -- What It Is & How to Strengthen Against This Threat
Healthcare
All industries have to be aware of their cybersecurity threats, vulnerabilities, and defenses -- one of the areas of our world today which has the most valuable information and is among the most highly targeted is the healthcare industry. Below we will take a look at some of the ways ransomware threatens this vital industry as well as how to hospitals can strengthen their defenses against the all-too-common attack.
Needless to say, the world has been through a lot in the past 2 years and among those most highly impacted are our many medical professionals. The healthcare industry experienced incredibly high demand due to the various surges seen over the course of the Coronavirus pandemic as well as existing issues regarding staff shortages and space issues for smaller communities. In addition to these stressors, the world of healthcare has been hit with numerous cybersecurity attacks and vulnerabilities; a 2021 survey found that at least 42% of healthcare entities who participated in the study had been affected by a ransomware attack.
A ransomware attack occurs when the malicious actor gains access to the supposedly private information of a business and holds it hostage from the company by blocking them from accessing said data; they then demand that the affected victim pay up or else the hacker will steal, delete, or sell the vital data. The consequences of a ransomware attack are not just that the company does not have access to their data for a period of time, or that they have to potentially pay up to regain data, but there are also major impacts to the customers, or in the world of healthcare, patients, and their vital data which has now been made vulnerable.
2021 was a record year for ransomware attacks on the industry with over 45 million patients' having their private medical information (PMI) exposed; it is believed by many cybersecurity professionals that this surge in attacks was due to the fact that the malicious actors were aware of the lengths to which healthcare workers were being stretched and took advantage of them in these difficult times.
Ransomware takes the stolen data from its victims, thus making the affected company scramble to either pay the ransom to retrieve their data or opt for other means of operating with their data. This data, especially in the medical realm, is incredibly important for continued success in providing patients with the same high level of service as always. A lawsuit out of Alabama alleges that a ransomware attack lead to the events that resulted in the death of a newborn. The attack took place in July of 2019 and resulted in the affected hospital operating off of hardcopies, with no access to patient data. A mother alleges that this lack of medical information related to heart rate lead to the issues which caused her child's death. As of October 2021, the allegations are still outstanding and the case still open. As is the case with many cyber attacks in healthcare, there is the potential for real life impacts, further conveying the need to prioritize cybersecurity in healthcare.
Ransomware is no laughing matter and the best way to deal with cybersecurity threats such as this is to be proactive in order to prevent attack. Below we'll get into a couple things your medical facility can do to help better defend your systems from a ransomware attack.
Backups, backups, backups -- Keep a separate database from the main network updated with identical copies of the information that your company could not operate without. Be sure to update this often and keep it away from the main network so that your business does not have to stop operations while dealing with the backlash of a ransomware attack.
Firewall for defense -- Utilize a firewall as the initial barrier between your systems and any potential intruders. A well-monitored firewall helps to filter in the good data and filter out any potential hazardous data. This can help to prevent an attack before it gets to your vital networks.
Utilize strong, unique passwords -- The use of strong passwords that are different to all other passwords used is an essential building block of cybersecurity. Instill this philosophy in all of your healthcare providers, nurses, and staff so that they can assist your efforts to have a cybersafe healthcare system. Employee education is key so that there are no weak links in your cybersecurity approach and only other strong contributors using any networks.
