In 2023, healthcare data breaches hit 171 million patient records, representing a 187 percent increase over the previous year. This is according to the Protenus Breach Barometer. The rising trend in cyberattacks, driven by ransomware and phishing, has made it critical for the healthcare industry to bolster its security measures.
Peter F. Frandsen, CTO and Cyber Security Expert at Partisia, a leading privacy platform, has presented to Digital Journal five key healthcare data security challenges together with ideas as to how healthcare organizations can leverage advanced encryption and decentralized technologies to safeguard patient data.
Healthcare data breaches: 5 security challenges
“Healthcare carries huge data footprints, Cybersecurity in healthcare is not just about technology—it is fundamentally about processes and people. Regular training and thorough audits are essential,” explains Frandsen.
This assertion underscores the critical challenges healthcare management faces in 2024, particularly concerning patient data security.
There are some essential management issues, identified by Frandsen, that currently affect the healthcare industry; of importance is the manner in which the firms safeguard their data, especially given the emerging cybersecurity threats and the increasing demand for compliance with the set regulatory standards.
As the volume, and especially sensitivity of patient data increases, Frandsen explains why solutions must be found to properly secure, manage, and make efficient use of technology in healthcare.
The five major challenges for the year 2024 and the best ways of avoiding them, according to Frandsen are:.
- HIPAA and other Regulatory Compliance
Other requirements are sociopolitical, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 requirements (HIPAA) and the requirements provided in the 21st Century Cures Act. This is especially a challenge to the less established organizations because they may lack the cash to meet the regulatory requirements as they are required.
Solution: To address this issue, there is a need for organisations to integrate improved and efficient electronic health record (EHR) system that meets enhanced criterion. One of the most important factors as well as the biggest challenges is to make the systems seamlessly interconnect while at the same time remain secure with individual patient data.
- Managing Cybersecurity Threats
Most of the cyber threats including hacking, ransomware and data breaches are common in the healthcare industry. There were 24 data breaches in February 2024 with the largest one involving Medical Management Resource Group, where 2.35 million records. Electronic health information is priceless especially today, meaning hospitals and other health care facilities are on the cyber thief’s list.
Solution: Record security requires encryption of data in transit and data at rest. Furthermore, the use of competent threat detection mechanisms through AI in healthcare organizations is mandatory to minimize the threats posed by hackers.
- Securing AI Systems
Healthcare is embracing AI at a faster pace, but the emerging use of the new technology poses many risks. AI platforms contain large sums of users’ personal information and it only takes one breach to be exploited by hackers.
Solution: Security standards have to be complied with making it a requirement for the healthcare providers to incorporate-security measures into their Artificial Intelligence systems. This entails using a technique like encryption to protect the datasets for artificial intelligence and the channels through which such data pass.
- Third-Party Data Breaches
In third-party risks, 35% of the cyberattacks happened to the healthcare industry alone, which is the most vulnerable industry in the world according to the 2023 data. Third party suppliers, especially those connected to medical devices are considered to be highly vulnerable when it comes to compromise.
Solution: To manage third parties risks it is recommended that healthcare providers closely scrutinize suppliers and guarantee that the vendors adhere to the maximum security standards. It is also important that third-party systems are also frequently audited.
- Application security and Software supply chain Threats
Reverse engineering is one of the significant threat factors in the healthcare application system. According to the results of surveying the healthcare organizations in 2024, 48% of them got the lowest grade in application security. Suppliers can be penetrated by attackers where they take advantage of gaps in software update along other supply chain complications.
Solution: It is thus imperative for healthcare organizations to pay attention to the following areas that will assist in application security; The vulnerability assessment, and the software supply chain. This is useful in a way that it also thwarts attackers from using vulnerabilities in the system to inject ransomware through reliable vendors.
Frandsen wraps it up by saying: “Effective management in healthcare combines advanced technology with human-centric approaches, ensuring both security and efficiency.”
