Healthcare providers need to drastically improve their cybersecurity as soon as possible. Advanced malware protection, anti-viruses, firewalls, and email and web security should be a priority for the healthcare sector moving forward. Regular software updates can protect against older versions of ransomware, but also more sophisticated ones identified by governments and cybersecurity firms which patch the vulnerabilities and push software updates to protect against them. Think of it like a flu shot, which needs booster shots periodically to provide up-to-date protection to the latest strains of the virus.The second element of a robust defense is comprehensive and consistent data backups. Back up locations should not be connected to the main network, ensuring that if an attack does infect the main network, it won’t spread to the back up. This measure means that even if a ransomware attack was successful, a hospital can still restore the data from the uncorrupted back up location, even if the main network is still inaccessible.
Even with robust malware protection, firewalls, anti-viruses and remote, secure backups, networks will still be vulnerable due to human error. That’s because infections usually happen using Trojans, which like the deceptive wooden horse that led to the downfall of ancient Troy, misleads users into thinking it’s a normal file or email attachment. Users unwittingly download the file, and the system is infected. Other ways of infection involve phishing links (links that seem legitimate, but lead to dummy sites where data can be harvested, or files downloaded, without the user’s knowledge) and other forms of social engineering that trick users into downloading the ransomware worm.
In other words, even with all the security features up-to-date, an unwitting mistake from one employee can grant access to ransomware worms and infect healthcare providers’ networks. This means that healthcare entities need to train all their employees, especially the less tech-savvy among them, on how to avoid suspicious emails and links, and the best practices to minimize the risk of cybercriminals social engineering their way past the network’s defenses.
Ransomware extortion attacks show no sign of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, they will probably evolve quicker than ever before. This could be catastrophic for any connected system, but the healthcare sector seems to be especially vulnerable to ransomware attacks, and exceptionally irresistible to cybercriminals seeking quick ransom payouts.
Stay safe! check out the our managed security services.
