Stay updated with the latest healthcare cybersecurity trends, news, and tips to protect patient data and comply with medical industry security standards.
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Background for this topic.
Healthcare is the delivery of clinical care and related services through hospitals, clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, insurers, and connected medical devices. It depends on electronic health records (EHRs), patient identity systems, diagnostic and imaging platforms, medication and scheduling systems, and data exchanges between organizations. These environments hold sensitive health and payment information, while the availability and integrity of systems can affect treatment, diagnostics, and patient safety.
Security concerns include unauthorized access or disclosure of records, alteration of clinical data, and disruption of care through attacks on EHRs, connected devices, or third-party services. Defenses require risk-based access controls, strong authentication, network separation where appropriate, secure device and software maintenance, backups that support clinical continuity, and tested downtime and incident-response procedures. Vulnerability management must account for legacy systems and devices that cannot be patched quickly. Privacy and compliance obligations, such as HIPAA in the United States, shape how organizations collect, use, share, retain, and report health information.
HHS Proposes Encryption, Security Standards for Healthcare FirmsThe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is proposing new rules for healthcare organizations that aim to bolster protections for Americans by requiring companies to encrypt sensitive patient data and conduct routine compliance evaluations amid increased threats targeting the sector.
Rule Aims to Stymie Weaponization of Americans' DataThe U.S. federal government finalized Friday regulations throttling the bulk commercial transfer to China and Russia of data pinpointing Americans' location, their health data, or biometric and genomic identifiers. The rule implements a February executive order from President Joe Biden.
American Addiction Centers Says 422,424 Individuals' Private Details ExposedSubstance abuse treatment company American Addiction Centers is warning nearly half a million patients that ransomware-wielding attackers stole their personal details, including names and Social Security numbers. The Rhysida ransomware operation claimed to perpetrate the attack.
Cyber incident details involving non-profit and non-government entities across sectors such as healthcare are not centrally reported and collected, creating gaps for researchers, IT experts and others seeking to analyze trends in their industries, said Stanley Mierzwa of Kean University.
One of the most important lessons emerging in 2024 for the healthcare sector is that entities should diligently prepare contingency plans for potential cyberattacks that seriously disrupt their critical third-party vendors, advises regulatory attorney Betsy Hodge of the law firm Akerman.
Washington and Nevada were among states enacting new data privacy laws in 2024, and that trend among states will likely continue into 2025 as the next presidential administration comes into office promising to reduce federal regulations, said attorney Melissa Crespo of law firm Morrison Foerster.
About 75% of healthcare sector entities that suffered a ransomware attack over the past year were targeted on a weekend or holiday, highlighting the need for organizations to bolster staffing and related strategies during these vulnerable times, said Jeff Wichman of security firm Semperis.
About 75% of healthcare sector entities that suffered a ransomware attack over the past year were targeted on a weekend or holiday, highlighting the need for organizations to bolster staffing and related strategies during these vulnerable times, said Jeff Wichman of security firm Semperis.
US healthcare giant Ascension revealed that 5.6 million individuals have had their personal, medical and financial information breached in a ransomware attack