Especially now, with so many people and so much data located remotely, organizational leaders in every sector need to know the importance of security fortification. After all, without knowing their data is safe and secure, it’s difficult for your people to function on a daily basis.
But, it’s important to note: Not all industries are created equal in this respect. In particular, healthcare is one area where security needs to receive an extremely high level of focus. It’s worth taking a moment to understand why.
According to Healthcare IT News, IT leaders in the sector are working to get a handle on the unique challenges of hospital data security. The challenge stems from the fact that security must extend far beyond ordinary boundaries. For most businesses, the task is relatively simple – if you secure the workplace, and your employees’ devices within that workplace, then you’re on your way. Healthcare organizations are a little different, as there are more environments and more technologies to consider.
“Healthcare IT leaders need to understand the broad range of technologies at use across a hospital and assess which of these systems and machines they would detect attacks against and where they would be blind,” Scope Security CEO Michael Murray said.
Let’s take a look at three key areas encompassed by healthcare IT security.
- Traditional technology: Let’s start with the basics. Healthcare facilities are still using a lot of the same technologies that any other workers are – laptops, switches, routers, servers, and so on. Any security framework must start with covering these areas. This can be especially tricky in the health sector considering, as Healthcare IT News reported, over 75% of devices in use today are running operating systems that no longer receive patches. IT therefore has to be extra vigilant.
- Clinical technology: In addition to the basics like employees’ laptops, the typical healthcare environment also includes a wide range of medical devices that are used to assist in care delivery – for example, ultrasound devices, MRI machines, and x-ray machines. All of these machines collect and transmit data, which means they could all be potential endpoints for cyber incidents.
- Healthcare records: Delivering care is all about having access to the right data – and unfortunately, that also means more vulnerabilities. The typical health organization today is tapping into massive electronic health record (EHR) systems on a daily basis, and these systems are often unregulated and easy to attack. Typically, the onus is on each individual healthcare organization to secure their access to, and transmission of, all healthcare records.
When it comes to healthcare security, there’s a lot you’ve got to handle. But here’s the good news: Zones is here to help you handle it. We’ve always believed in making Security Fortification a top priority – and that’s especially the case today, and especially in the healthcare sector. We offer a wide range of services, from Security Assessments to Authentication & Data Security solutions, that are designed to keep your devices, your data, and your people safe. Connect with us to further explore how Zones can support your organization.
Zones : Jan 21, 2020 4:00:00 AM
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