[BreachExchange] Dealing with National & Medical Security Breaches: How to Prepare the Front Lines of Cybersecurity

[Audrey McNeil]

https://hackernoon.com/dealing-with-national-medical-
security-breaches-how-to-prepare-the-front-lines-of-
cybersecurity-f31f2ab3d06f

An increasing amount of sensitive information is being stored online by
more people, and this includes health data. While this makes filling your
prescription or accessing your records more convenient, it also means
hackers have an easier time accessing private data from more sources.

Maintaining security online is becoming increasingly important as data
breaches happen with escalating frequency and devastation. Massive security
breaches came one after the other last year, like the gargantuan Yahoo and
Equifax attacks, which leaves an ominous feeling hanging over 2018.

Leaking email addresses and passwords is bad enough, but a massive breach
of medical information could wreak havoc on millions of lives. To prevent,
or at least mitigate, any future damage, we need to understand the role
that cybersecurity plays in the healthcare industry, how to prevent
potential breaches, and what to do if they happen.

Role of Cybersecurity in Healthcare

It should come as no surprise that hospitals, doctor’s offices, and other
medical facilities are a popular target — they’re full of sensitive,
identifying information, including names, addresses, medical histories,
insurance information, and even Social Security numbers. Consider the fact
that, generally, the healthcare industry tends to have poor security and
you’ll understand why hackers zero in on it.

The increased connectivity between patient and physician or even between
different computers in a doctor’s office offers more points of entry. All
medical facilities are required to protect this private information from
anyone who isn’t supposed to see it, and can be penalized if a breach
occurs. According to the University of Cincinnati, “The U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights enforces the HIPAA
Privacy and Security Rules to investigate complaints and conduct compliance
reviews. If the OCR describes the complaint as a violation, the health care
facility may be subject to civil and criminal penalties.”

Health care facilities can lose money from paying hefty fines, serve
potential jail time, and suffer tarnished reputations. Cybersecurity should
be an integral part of healthcare, and if it’s lacking, improving security
measures is of the utmost importance for patients and providers alike.

Cybersecurity on the Front Lines

So how do you improve and maintain cybersecurity? It will depend on your
needs, as data leaks can happen in a multitude of ways, from phishing scams
to hacked emails to unattended devices.

Experts at HealthITSecurity recommend that users take a contextual approach
to protect their data and devices by “applying the proper security policies
based on what the user is doing, their device, where they are coming in
from, and so on.” Users are on the front lines of the battle for
cybersecurity; they need more education, tools, and resources to adequately
maintain privacy. Luckily, even “simple” protective measures can go a long
way.

Two-step authentication is becoming more common, so even if someone does
access your account or password, they cannot gain access. Similarly,
double-encryption can add another layer of security to websites and emails
that contain sensitive information — while hackers may have access to your
emails, they still cannot see that private content. Proper password
practices are also one of the best ways that users can keep private
information safe. And as annoying as it may be, don’t put off your next
software update — developers often correct security issues that hackers can
exploit if left unfixed.

These small steps are helpful but are only several pieces of the puzzle.
For highly sensitive data, you will need stronger and more extensive
measures. If you’re in over your head, it’s never a bad idea to hire a
professional to help update your current security.

Though many people may not realize how disastrous data breaches are, it’s
important to treat cyber attacks as seriously as other threats. According
to Arizona State University, some emergency responders receive training on
how to deal with cyber threats, how to educate others on cybersecurity, and
how to develop programs and processes to help high-risk facilities like
hospitals deal with a host of disasters, including cyber attacks. By
putting cyber attacks on the same level as other threats, we can begin to
prevent and combat it properly.

Dealing with a Breach

Knowledge is power in this situation; get to know your security system and
its flaws. If a breach does occur, you will be able to figure out its
origin more quickly. Controlling the breach as quickly as possible is
crucial. Answer any and all key questions that you can, including: Did it
happen externally or internally? How long ago? What can you do, if
anything, to immediately stop the breach? Call in professional help if you
can’t manage the breach on your own.

Healthcare facilities must follow the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule and
alert all affected individuals, the Secretary of the Department of Human
Health Services, and possibly the media, depending on the size of the
breach. Certain states may have additional breach notification laws.

After you conduct a thorough security audit to discover any additional
weaknesses, update all relevant passwords and accounts and restore data
from clean backups. Then, focus on helping patients affected by the breach
and rebuilding your public image. People will likely be wary of your
organization in the wake of an attack, so regaining their trust is vital to
recovering from a data breach.

As more sensitive health data is stored digitally, breaches in security are
almost an inevitability. Simply hoping that you’ll stay safe is not an
adequate way to prepare for or respond to a breach. Unfortunately, one
large overhaul of your security will not be enough to stay protected.
Continually update your security measures to keep information safe —
technology changes quickly, and hackers will figure out ways around current
measures. It is a constant and exhausting battle, but one that healthcare
providers must fight.
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