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Due to the current pandemic, healthcare providers are moving towards offering their services virtually. This shift towards technology is creating big opportunities for cyber attackers to breach the systems of healthcare facilities to steal the sensitive data of the patients.

Cybercrimes have been around for a long time but the risk of getting ambushed by hackers has grown tremendously. They steal the patients’ data to either sell it, destroy it or use it for other wicked reasons.

In the healthcare industry, healthcare providers are allowed to access the sensitive data of their patients so that they may perform their treatment in the best way possible. Therefore, for patient trust, you need to protect your data.

Want to save your patient’s data? 

Then you should adopt new technologies to better enhance your patient experience. Besides all the latest technologies you must also be aware of common cyber-attacks and the best practices to prevent cyber attacks. Let’s dive deep into this article. 

Most Common Cyber Attacks in Healthcare in 2021

There are many types of cyber attacks that can cause a huge loss to any healthcare facility. But ransomware, phishing emails, and identity theft are the most common cyber attacks in the healthcare industry currently.

Ransomware

Ransomware is malware that denies access to a system. Cyber attackers take control of the system and render the files within a system unusable for the victim.

It is called Ransomware because attackers demand a ransom from the victim. And, it is becoming one of the main cyber attacks in the healthcare industry.

Phishing

Phishing emails have been the most common cyber attack for more than a decade. Cyber attackers trick the healthcare workers by sending them emails involving information regarding different medical information and medical equipment. In the current pandemic, many healthcare providers have reported getting emails related to COVID-19 information and equipment like ventilators, and then they ask for an action through which they receive sensitive information from the victim like credit card numbers and passwords.

IdentityTheft

Telehealth services are increasing in the current pandemic; patients are contacting their doctors online. Much patient data is getting shared on the internet, and the current security on the healthcare provider’s part is not strong enough. 

It is making the job of cyber criminals a lot easier, and they can trick a healthcare worker or employee into getting the information of patients for their dark motives.

Healthcare providers should be aware of the following cybersecurity best practices:

Cyber Security Best Practices in 2021

• Training the Employees for Security 

Your security system is as strong as its weakest link. It means even if you have the

best security software, you can still become a victim to a cyber attack due to human error. Many cyberattacks are caused by phishing. The employees will get

an email or link which will allow a cyber attacker to bypass the security. 

That’s why it is crucial to train your medical staff about the security of data. They should know about the cyber attacks so they would not hand over the valuable information of the patients to the attackers.

You should provide regular security training to the employees which can be monthly,

quarterly or every six months.

• Creating a Backup for the Data

One of the best cybersecurity best practices is to create a backup of your data. Healthcare provider should back up their data so they could retrieve it if it is gone. Sometimes, when a cyber-attack is avoided, the system is switched back to a previous state, leading to a loss of important data. It is necessary to save data in more than one place. 

It is recommended to store data on a cloud server because they are extremely secure, and they allow the restoration of the information at any time. Otherwise, you are at risk of getting affected by a cyberattack and losing essential data about your patients.

• Keeping Your Security up-to-Date

Cybercriminals are always looking for vulnerabilities in the security systems of healthcare facilities. And, that’s the reason security software developers are always coming up with software updates to patch the vulnerabilities and improve the overall security system.

It is best to update your security software regularly. It is even better if you can check the auto-updates option. But if you want to do it manually, you should make sure you update your security as soon as possible. Even a little bit of negligence can cause a massive loss.

It is also best to have multiple layers of security. Like there can be two-factor security or end-to-end protection. 

The employees should be given limited access; this means they should be given authorization to the information related to their work or department. Doing this will decrease the risk of losing a huge amount of data.

• Create a Cyber Attack Policy

Healthcare providers should develop plans with healthcare IT experts to prevent cyber attacks. They should connect the IT specialists with their employees, so if a cyber attack occurs, their employees can contact the IT team to get help. It is best to create plans for preventing cyber attacks as well. You know it better than anyone that prevention is better than cure.

Having a cyber attack policy will make things easier. You will be ready to face the unexpected, and handling the situation will be easier. It has been known that the same attackers try to deceive one healthcare facility multiple times. So, it is best to come up with a plan to avoid the same mistakes.

It is best to assess your current security system for vulnerabilities. IT specialists or even some software can help you to find that out.

Need Help With More Security?

The healthcare industry is at risk of cyber attacks due to the increased use of technology during this pandemic. Even though we have discussed the top cybersecurity best practices, there can still be many more issues that might put your patients’ data in danger. If you feel your safety is not updated with current trends, it is best to seek help from experts.

MED-Miles has some of the best cybersecurity experts in the country. They can help you get the best security software solutions and guide you through implementing the cybersecurity best practices within your security system. You can email us at info@med-miles.com or call us at 888 598 9181 right now to get the best cybersecurity consultation from our experts.