A Test of Endurance for Healthcare Cybersecurity
Over the past five years, around 51% of IT leaders across industries say that their organization has experienced a data breach costing at least $1 million, according to the 2024 CDW Cybersecurity Research Report.
In healthcare, a costly cyber incident can seriously impact care delivery. That was the case for a small Illinois hospital that had to shut its doors in 2023 after a ransomware attack a couple of years earlier affected its financial operations for months. Its closure meant that some community members would have to travel longer for emergency room and obstetrics services.
So, for healthcare organizations, cybersecurity needs to be tied to mission-critical aims: Without a secure infrastructure, providers can’t connect their patients to necessary care, whether it’s through a specialist consult via telemedicine or a lifesaving emergency procedure. And that would be a far greater cost to bear.
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Despite the gravity of the healthcare cybersecurity landscape, there are encouraging stories to share about lessons learned in team building and post-attack recovery. In this issue, HealthTech highlights the perspectives of leaders who are strengthening their cyber-resilience and taking a more proactive approach to securing their environments.
In “Q&A: Novant Health Reflects on Building a Strong Cybersecurity Team,” Novant Health CISO Sanjeev Sah leads a remarkable cybersecurity team that discusses what it takes to foster a supportive work culture with an inclusive department. “People are the strongest element of security, and we provide numerous opportunities for growth, professional development and advancement for everyone on our team,” he says.
We take a deeper look at staff training related to phishing, and how organizations are improving their own understanding of social engineering attacks. In “Out Phishing: How Health Systems Can Re-Evaluate Employee Security Training,” UC San Diego Health shares its experience in re-evaluating its security education approach.
And in “Cyber vs. Disaster Recovery: How Health Systems Prepare for the Worst,” University of Vermont Health Network CISO Nate Couture talks about learning how to strengthen cyber recovery after a major ransomware attack.
“We’re in a fight where you’re never going to get to punch back,” Couture says. “Your job is to try to not get hit, to be able to take a punch if you do get hit and to stand yourself back up off the mat when you get knocked down.”
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