PracticeForces Shares the Top Cybersecurity Threats in Healthcare: Top Three Concerns
When dealing with patients' personal and sensitive information, no healthcare company can afford hackers stealing data. Not only does it hurt patients, but it creates a negative and untrustworthy image for the medical provider. PracticeForces does more than generate billing solutions; the experienced company uncovers and eradicates cybersecurity threats in the healthcare industry throughout Florida.
With the appropriate medical practice technologies, PracticeForces secures patient data for optimal patient care, especially when it comes to removing phishing threats, ransomware attacks, and data breaches.
#1. Phishing
When trying to override a healthcare system’s cybersecurity wall, hackers mirror official emails from insurance companies, medical providers, and other professionals. Within these faux emails, they create links that lead patients to a sign-in page similar in appearance to their legitimate counterparts. From there, patients fill out their data, and the hackers use it to access official records and threaten finances.
While phishing comes in numerous forms, from text messages and social media pages to phone calls, emails are the most common. Some phishing hackers go as far as to squeeze into an existing email thread, sending their concocted email as a response email.
#2. Ransomware Attacks
Another way hackers bypass healthcare cybersecurity is through ransomware attacks which also use phishing to obtain data. After sending out seemingly trustworthy emails, professionals click on the links, and malware injects into the network. Once they capture and store precious data, hackers urge ransom the public health sector pays due to regulatory consequences despite the FBI’s warnings against it.
In 2020 alone, ransomware attacks created cybersecurity threats in healthcare that affected one-third of organizations worldwide. With new and evolving technology inspiring Ransomware-as-a-Service (Raas) and other automated attacks, only the appropriate monitoring solution can keep the rising threat at bay.
#3. Data Breaches
With system vulnerability, hackers don’t need phishing tactics to breach security. Many health institutions struggle to enforce optimal security controls, leaving entry-point gaps available. Despite the HIPAA framework for record protection, transcending security breaches in recent years continues.
However, catching these issues beforehand with attack surface monitoring solutions and other preventative security measures lowers the level of unauthorized access.
Having a billing service that organizes and sorts through information from patients, healthcare providers, and insurance companies is one thing. Having one that pinpoints and removes cybersecurity threats in healthcare systems is another. For a skilled team that offers safety, monthly reporting, and efficiency at competitive prices, call Florida's PracticeForces at (727) 499-0351 to get a free quote today!
Learn how data quality affects patient safety by reading their blog here!
