Does vulnerability management have a place in healthcare?

Vulnerability management is the process of identifying, evaluating, treating, and reporting security vulnerabilities in systems and software, which are open to exploitation. As healthcare organizations are faced with adherence to HIPAA Security Rule the process combines necessary aspects of cybersecurity readiness.

What is vulnerability management? 

Vulnerability management is a part of cybersecurity that ensures organizations are prepared to defend against cybersecurity threats. Administrators may scan for weaknesses like outdated software, to prioritize risks based on severity and their impacts. 

Organizations also need to plan out how they may respond to potential vulnerabilities; not every vulnerability may result in a significant breach, while others could be devastating if exploited. An Effective Model Based Systems Engineering study provides the cornerstone of the cybersecurity process, “Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability are the primary cybersecurity concerns and are, with a certain amount of irony, referred to as CIA.” 

Organizations choosing to implement vulnerability management are driven to acknowledge the evolving nature of cybersecurity, a factor that needs to be considered in vulnerability management policies. 

Applying vulnerability management in healthcare 

Healthcare systems are prime targets for cyberattacks because of the amount of protected health information (PHI) they store. A structured vulnerability management program assists in navigating the security weaknesses commonly found in healthcare IT infrastructure. 

The process of applying vulnerability management includes the following: 

• Regularly scanning systems for vulnerabilities like insecure settings on software or the use of communication systems that are not secure (i.e. HIPAA compliant email platforms like Paubox are the best form of protection for healthcare organizations).
• Vulnerabilities should be prioritized based on potential risks to PHI and operations. 
• Applying patches and updating systems quickly to fix identified weaknesses.
• Using firewalls and encryption to protect PHI. 
• Train staff on security best practices to reduce human error.
• Limit access to sensitive data by using role-based access controls. 

The challenge of applying vulnerability management 

Healthcare organizations often operate using interconnected systems making it difficult to continuously monitor and manage vulnerabilities. Larger organizations that outsource IT may be more easily able to manage vulnerabilities, but not every organization is in the same position. Organizations without a strong IT department are often targeted by cyber threat actors because of outdated systems, further indicating that cybersecurity is on the back burner. Faced with budget constraints and reliance on legacy systems means that the complete implementation of vulnerability management is not always accessible. 

FAQs

What is risk management? 

The recognition of potential threats, determining likelihood and impact. Risk management and vulnerability management are therefore similar processes.

What is cybersecurity? 

The practice of protecting computers, networks, and data from unauthorized access. 

What is the role of CISA in cybersecurity management?  

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency works with both government and private sector organizations to improve cybersecurity through guidance and resources.