Cyberthreats to Healthcare

Cyberthreats on the Healthcare Landscape

Irresolute cybersecurity practices, combined with legacy data storage and the need to preserve business continuity at all costs (for lives are at stake) are some of the key factors that make the healthcare industry a prime target for cybercriminals. The enhanced global demand for healthcare in the post pandemic ecosystem has further exacerbated the challenges of the existing paradigm.

Phishing

Phishing involves injecting a seemingly regular electronic message with fake links for achieving malicious goals. Once you click, the infiltration is underway.

Email phishing is one of the most widely used vehicles in this regard. Phishing emails usually refer to a commonly-known medical event or organization to incentivize you for clocking on the link. A few of the cybercriminals may even compose their phishing emails to look like replies to existing email threads for greater authenticity, minimal suspicion, and a sense of heightened, albeit false, security.

When the target link in the scam email is clicked, the users are redirected to a decoy page that usually mirrors a familiar login screen for an internal software. On the submission of credentials, cybercriminals gain near instantaneous access to the healthcare systems.

Ransomware attacks

In a ransomware incident, the network is infected with a target malware to encrypt and hold hostage sensitive data. The entire system is then held at a ‘ransom’ until the attacker is paid off. Often

During a ransomware attack, it is quite common for healthcare victims to take fright, dreading the regulatory impact arising from the loss of sensitive patient data.

The growing occurrence of ransomware attacks is being fueled by new technology that can automate attacks.

As a response to ransomware attacks, healthcare IT vulnerabilities commonly exploited during such incidents must be identified, protected, and strengthened with adequate and appropriate cybersecurity measures.

Driven by the efficiencies observed in the Business as a Service (BaaS) model, the hackers have now created their very own malicious variation – Ransomware-as-a-Service (Raas).

DDOS ATTACKS

A Distributed-Denial-of-Service, or DDoS attack, refers to an excess of fake connection requests that are directed at a targeted server, aimed at forcing it offline by sheer volume. During such an incident, IOT devices and other end points can be forcibly recruited to become a part of a giant, malicious botnet through a malware injection, lending their resources for a coordinated attack.

DDoS incidents, however, do not have the same level of data loss risks as a ransomware event. However, they do have the potential for causing the same level of operational disturbance patterns.

The potential devastation and speed of these attacks has led to an adoption of a ‘ransom’ paradigm. DDoS attackers today are capable of forcing an organization to go offline and may only choose to cease their attack if and when the demanded ransom is delivered, or other conditions are met.

DATA BREACHES

Healthcare providers worldwide suffer a significantly large number of data breach incidents as compared with other industries. During 2020 alone, the average number of incidents was a staggering 1.76 per day.

Global regulations, including HIPAA, require a strict compliance with mandated guidelines for protecting personal health and other sensitive information records. However, many healthcare entities are still struggling with the implementation of the necessary data security controls.

Data vulnerabilities can be detected with an attack surface monitoring offering. Such a solution has to be capable of addressing third-party vendor networks, since it could facilitate indirect access to sensitive data, including credit card details, medical intellectual property, and patient information.