Despite cybersecurity policies and employee training programs, healthcare organizations frequently fall victim to cyberattacks. Organizations must begin to use real-time preparedness testing through cyber fire drills.
The limitations of conventional cybersecurity measures
Healthcare organizations have traditionally focused on preventive measures, such as firewalls, antivirus software, and employee training, to safeguard against cyber threats. However, the reality is that these approaches, while necessary, are no longer sufficient. Time and again, healthcare entities that have invested heavily in these traditional security measures have still fallen victim to breaches, facing severe financial penalties and operational disruptions.
Read also: What is cyber-preparedness?
The shift toward incident response readiness
Just as medical professionals are trained to respond to emergencies with precision and efficiency, the healthcare industry must adopt a similar approach to cybersecurity. Cyber fire drills, akin to physical fire drills, offer a proven method to build muscle memory and preparedness required to combat cyberattacks.
Understanding the anatomy of a cyber breach
When a healthcare organization experiences a data breach, the aftermath can be overwhelming. The leadership team is suddenly thrust into a whirlwind of decision-making, with many questions that require immediate attention. From determining whether to pay a ransom to notifying patients and engaging legal experts, the sheer volume of decisions and the lack of prior experience in handling such situations can be crippling.
Read more: How cyberattacks can disrupt healthcare services
The importance of reducing dwell time
A concept in cybersecurity is ‘dwell time’, which refers to the duration an attacker remains undetected within a system. The longer an attacker goes unnoticed, the more damage they can inflict, from data theft to system disruption. Rapid detection and response can help reduce the impact of a breach.
Cyber fire drills
Cyber fire drills simulate real-world cyberattack scenarios, allowing healthcare organizations to test their incident response capabilities in a controlled environment. These drills empower employees to recognize potential threats, understand their roles and responsibilities, and execute the appropriate response protocols, ultimately building the necessary muscle memory to handle a genuine incident effectively.
Related: Developing a HIPAA compliant incident response plan for data breaches
The benefits of cyber fire drills
Implementing cyber fire drills can provide healthcare organizations with several benefits, including:
Mitigating cybersecurity risk
By regularly testing incident response plans and employee readiness, healthcare organizations can identify vulnerabilities, strengthen their security processes, and allocate resources more effectively to address emerging threats.
Ensuring HIPAA compliance
HIPAA regulations require healthcare entities to implement security management processes, including the periodic testing of contingency plans. Cyber fire drills satisfy these compliance requirements and help organizations adapt their incident response plans to address changing threats.
Lowering cyber liability insurance premiums
Insurers often consider the frequency and rigor of incident response plan testing when determining cyber liability insurance premiums. Demonstrating a cyber fire drill program can help healthcare organizations secure more favorable insurance rates.
Enhancing vendor relationships
In the healthcare industry, showing strong cybersecurity practices, such as the results of cyber fire drills, can give healthcare organizations a competitive edge when selecting vendors and partners.
Choosing the right cyber fire drill solution
When implementing cyber fire drills, healthcare organizations should look for a solution that offers the following features:
- Tailored to the organization's specific needs and threat landscape,
- Realistic attack simulations that mirror recent and emerging threats
- Short, engaging employee testing scenarios that can be easily integrated into daily workflows, and
- Automated reporting and analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement
How Paubox can strengthen an organization’s cybersecurity
Paubox Email Suite is a solution to ensure all employees send HIPAA compliant emails by default. It uses TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.3 encryption. The premium plan also has email data loss prevention (DLP), which stops employees from sending sensitive information to people outside their network.
In the news
A new report from Software Advice, a business software review service, recently released some surprising information regarding healthcare data. The company conducted an online survey of 296 respondents working in healthcare organizations. It excluded organizations that outsource 100% of their IT management or cybersecurity.
Collectively, the report determined that 87% of healthcare data is now stored digitally. While that’s not surprising, the bigger question is regarding its safety–especially as massive data breaches continue to be reported regularly.
The report found nearly half (42%) of the medical practices surveyed have experienced a ransomware attack at some point. 48% of those attacks directly impacted patient data. 27% of attacks directly impacted patient care, meaning they led to diversions, delays, or downtime.
Considering the serious nature of medical care, these issues can have lasting impacts on patients and the communities served. The report added, “For most businesses, downtime resulting from a cyberattack impacts production, profits, and even reputation–but when systems go down at a healthcare facility, medical records become inaccessible, devices malfunction, and critical procedures are delayed.”
See more: New report reveals 87% of medical data is digital, but may not be secure
FAQs
What is cybersecurity and how does it relate to healthcare security?
Cybersecurity involves protecting computer systems, networks, and data from digital attacks, unauthorized access, and damage. In healthcare, it is necessary to safeguard protected health information (PHI) and electronic protected health information (ePHI). Effective measures help keep sensitive patient data confidential, secure, and compliant with HIPAA regulations.
Why is cybersecurity beneficial for HIPAA compliance?
Cybersecurity benefits HIPAA compliance by protecting PHI from breaches and unauthorized access, something central to maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality. Implementing strong cybersecurity practices helps healthcare organizations prevent data breaches, avoid fines, and ensure adherence to HIPAA’s security and privacy requirements.
What are the potential risks associated with inadequate cybersecurity under HIPAA?
- Data breaches: Unauthorized access to ePHI can expose sensitive patient information and violate HIPAA regulations.
- Non-compliance penalties: Fines and legal consequences for failing to implement sufficient security measures as required by HIPAA.
- Financial losses: Costs related to breach remediation, legal fees, and potential settlements with affected individuals.
- Reputational damage: Loss of trust from patients, partners, and the public due to the organization’s failure to protect sensitive health information.
- Operational disruptions: Interruptions to healthcare services and administrative functions caused by cyberattacks or compromised data security.
Learn more: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide
Farah Amod
