Did you know? The US health system recently notified 882,000 patients of the August 2023 breach. With the large volume of confidential patient information, the healthcare system is becoming increasingly susceptible to cyberattacks. Healthcare businesses manage a wealth of data, ranging from electronic health records (EHRs) to insurance information, which, if breached, can lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and even hazards to patient safety. 

The threat of data breaches is evident in healthcare, as healthcare providers, health conferences, and pharmaceutical companies suffer from regular attacks in 2024 and 2025. 

Infosprint Technologies is a leading cybersecurity company that aims to help healthcare providers, governments, and patients understand the risks and proactively protect sensitive information from data breaches. Let's review the dangers and how to protect and prevent data breaches. 

Why is healthcare industry the prime target for cybercriminals?

Privacy breaches in healthcare are a prime target for cybercriminals because of the great deal of private and fiscal data acquired from individuals. When this data is compromised, it can cause significant damage to both hospitals and patients. 

Unlike credit card information, which can be quickly canceled, stolen healthcare data is more challenging to change and can be helpful for identity theft for many years. Here are the major factors contributing to healthcare data breaches - 

• Patient Data containing contact details, person names, email addresses, insurance details, and more, can be sold for a premium price on the dark web.
• Many healthcare institutions rely on outdated systems without any modern cybersecurity protections.
• Healthcare professionals frequently prioritize patient care over cybersecurity, which can result in neglecting best practices.
• Hackers will use this data to target patients by initiating ransomware attacks. Through these cyberattacks, they will blackmail patients, demanding a monetary amount or something else in exchange for restoring their data. This situation could make the individual a weak link in the organization, allowing cybercriminals to gain access.

Data Breaches: A Serious Threat to Patient Safety

Can a data breach really impact your patient’s health and treatments? Data breaches in healthcare jeopardize essential patient information, reducing trust and potentially disrupting crucial care. These breaches have devastating financial, reputational, and legal ramifications for healthcare providers and individuals.

▶️Patient Safety Risks

• Once data is breached, it falls under attackers' control, who can edit or modify patient information. For example, they could change a patient's prescriptions, alter medical history, which could result in the administration of incorrect medication, or withhold information that may delay treatment for serious underlying illnesses.
• Effective healthcare relies on seamless communication between departments. If doctors cannot access patient data due to breaches, specialists may lack the information needed to diagnose, treat, and prescribe medication.

▶️Financial Consequences

• The associated costs can be substantial when a healthcare institution experiences a data breach. Expenses for remediation, notifying affected patients, and forming a team to investigate the data theft can easily pile up, putting a severe financial strain on the institution. According to IBM's 2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average cost of a healthcare data breach is $10.93 million, which is higher than the costs seen in other sectors.
• Data breaches can lead to significant costs for patients. These expenses may include credit monitoring services, identity theft protection, and legal fees to mitigate the effects of the breach.

▶️Legal and Regulation Penalties

Healthcare organizations are bound to strict data privacy requirements, like HIPAA in the US and GDPR (General Data Privacy Regulation) in Europe. A breach might result in harsh fines and legal action.

▶️Operational Disturbance

• Data breaches can significantly disrupt healthcare operations. Systems may be taken offline for investigation and repair, leading to delays in patient care, canceled appointments, and administrative bottlenecks.
• Scheduled surgeries and procedures can be delayed or could cause confusion between surgeons. For example, If a surgeon books an operating table for surgery and the institution suffers a data breach, the surgeon might lose access to the operating room. In a worst-case scenario, the attacker could change the surgery timings, allowing another surgeon to book the same slot, leading to a collision of surgeries.
• Restoring systems and data after a breach can take weeks or even months. During this period, the healthcare facility may operate at a reduced capacity.

▶️Reputation Damage

• Patients believe their privacy has been breached when a breach happens and their most sensitive information has been revealed. This might result in a deep sense of betrayal and losing faith in the healthcare system. 
• Even if the institution takes steps to rectify the situation, patients may worry about their data security in the future.
• Trust is the most critical factor in the healthcare system. Once it's broken, the patients may hesitate to share important medical information, disrupting the diagnosis and treatment.

How To Prevent Data Breaches In the Healthcare Industry?

Data breaches in the healthcare industry jeopardize patient privacy, security in their finances, and even the safety of patients. The delicate nature of medical records and a rising reliance on digital technology make healthcare companies a prominent target for cyberattacks, which can have disastrous effects. 

1. Implement Strong Access Control

• Implement multi-factor authentication for system entry. It provides an additional layer of defense beyond just a username and password. MFA requires something you are(Biometrics), something you know(personal questions), or something you have(OTP).
• Thus reducing the risk of unauthorized access even if passwords are compromised.
• Limit user access to job-based roles. This ensures employees can only access the systems and data necessary for their job functions. This prevents data leakage and insider threats, lowering the risk of malware and ransomware spreading through unnecessary access points.
• Regularly review and revoke access of former employees and change the access of the employees who are promoted or changed their departments to help prevent unauthorized access by former employees or those with outdated permissions. 

2. Encrypt Sensitive Data

• Encrypt patient data in transit and rest, ensuring that the content can't be read even if the data is compromised.
• Encryption is only effective if implemented alongside substantial data storage and transmission policies. 
• Use secure storage best practices like zero structure architecture, key management systems, and data masking.
• Encryption is a crucial security measure taken to protect sensitive data. Institutions need to adhere to compliance and regulations like HIPPA and GDPR in the healthcare industry, where patient data is valuable.
• Organizations may significantly lower the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access by using robust encryption standards and safe storage and transmission methods. 

3. Enhance Employee Training

• Human error is one of the most significant cybersecurity risks in any organization.
• Employees unaware of phishing and social engineering scams can fall victim to it, leading to potential breaches.
• Conduct phishing awareness programs using simulated phishing campaigns and send them a fake phishing email to employees to analyze how many are falling into the trap.
• Provide immediate feedback to the participating employees.
• Provide awareness of different types of cyberattacks and reward employees who have successfully identified cyberattacks.
• Educate employees on handling different types of cyberattacks and preventive measures once attacked. 
• Create an explicit emergency response plan to minimize harm from a security breach.

4. Strengthen Endpoint Security

• Deploy antivirus software and firewalls to defend against malware, ransomware, and other cyberattacks.
• The antivirus helps institutions scan, block, and continuously monitor threats in real time.
• One of the best ways to use antivirus software is to use it as centralized security management for better visibility and control over all endpoints.
• One of the most prominent organizations make is once they install antivirus or any cybersecurity software, they ignore it and do not update the software regularly. Cybercriminals use this advantage to gain access to systems.

5. Develop a Data Breach Response Plan

• Creating a specialized Incident Response Team (IRT) is essential for promptly and efficiently handling data security incidents such as breaches.
• This team should include critical workers from various departments with distinct responsibilities during an event.

6. Secure Third-party Integrations

• Third-party vendors like cloud providers, software suppliers, and outsourcing partners can introduce significant security risks if not vetted.
• Cybercriminals exploit vendors and find weak links to gain access to healthcare institutions, compromising the entire organization.
• Organizations must assess a third-party vendor's security practices before integration to ensure robust cybersecurity.
• To mitigate risks, organizations must evaluate vendor security policies and incorporate data protection clauses in their contracts.

The Stakes Are High: How prepared is your organization? 

The rising threat of data breaches in healthcare demands for immediate action from all parties. Healthcare providers must deploy strong cybersecurity protection, stay up-to-date on emerging threats, and invest in training and technology to protect sensitive patient data. 

By proactively addressing these risks, healthcare providers can protect patient trust, comply with regulations, and preserve the integrity of the healthcare cybersystem in an increasingly digital world.