Cybersecurity in Healthcare: Protecting Sensitive Patient Data

With a stunning 276 million healthcare records breached and exposed in 2024, we formally recognize that the healthcare market is the most targeted industry by cybercriminals, even more than financial services. This trend highlights a fundamental realization for experienced professionals: any digital transformation providing improvements to a healthcare system and patient care is a double-edged sword, as it exposes vulnerabilities in an increasingly complex system. With electronic health records, telemedicine, and connected medical devices, the points of patient care today are no different than the front lines of a global cyber war. For someone with more than ten years of experience, this isn't a technical issue; it's an organizational and strategic risk to the mission of the healthcare organization, the reputation of the provider, and patient confidence.As cyber attacks become more sophisticated, healthcare institutions must prioritize protecting sensitive patient information to stay resilient against future threats.

In this article, you will learn about:

• The changing drivers and techniques of a cyber attack on healthcare.
• The particular challenges of securing a huge and sensitive patient-data landscape.
• The fundamental nature of network security as part of a first line of defense.
• Why cloud security is a joint responsibility rather than a transference of responsibility.
• How to mitigate human risk and foster a security culture.
• The types of active and resilience building strategies.

The healthcare sector often works in a high-stakes environment where data is valued, if not more than, anything said on a credit card. Protected health information (PHI) constitutes the entirety of a person's health record, their medical diagnosis, and personal identifiers which is a veritable cornucopia for identity thieves and medical fraud. High-stakes data targeting, juxtaposed with a fragmented technology ecosystem frequently reliant on legacy systems, leaves huge amounts of patient data as an overarching target for cyberattacks in a way unparalleled by other sectors. An impactful cyber-attack can not only financially and reputationally damage an organization, but can harm patient safety through their disruption of clinical care YOU do NOT have this problem in other sectors. 

For those of us who have witnessed the industry evolve, the shift in the threats is unmistakable. Ten-plus years ago, the biggest threat was likely a stolen laptop. Fast-forward to now and the threats are advanced and funded, sometimes by nation states and organized crime. This content is intended to provide a broad and deep, expert guide to understand and combat modern-day threats. We will explore the complexity of healthcare cybersecurity and the strategic, operational and change in culture necessary for healthcare organizations to achieve true resilience. 

The Strategic Shift in Cyber Threat Motives

The drivers for threat actors attacking healthcare have grown more varied and dangerous. Financial gain still provides a strong motivation, but it is no longer the only one. Ransomware, for instance, has evolved from a basic way to lock data to a more destructive double extortion by exfiltrating sensitive data and then demanding ransom to refrain from publishing it. The implications of this are stressful for organizations because they must expose themselves to a serious breach of the privacy and compliance of patients or pay a ransom. One example of this is the Change Healthcare breach in 2024 which involved one attack giving access to an estimated 190 million people. 

Another troubling trend is the attack narratives involving state-sponsored attacks to disable critical infrastructure or securing intellectual property connected to medical research. In an age when healthcare research and development has now become a global sport for new and better treatments, methods, and technologies, national security issues for protecting data are on the rise. These attacks can become some of the more difficult to detect as they are advanced persistent threats (APTs), which typically require a higher-level of threat intelligence and defensive sophistication. This is not a national problem, it demands a change from reactive security to a proactive intelligence-led defense.

The rapid rise of connected medical devices, or Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), has created a new attack surface as well. While many of these devices are used every day in healthcare facilities such as infusion pumps or patient monitors, many were not designed with cyber security foremost in their mind. These devices are also often running outdated operating systems and are hard to patch, which makes them easy targets for any attacker. Moreover, a machine compromised by an attacker can serve as an access point to the rest of the network; it can also harm the patient by altering its function.

The Foundational Role of Network Security

An organization must secure its internal network before addressing cloud-based threats or human error. A strong network security foundation is the first component of any organization that has a successful cybersecurity program within the healthcare space. A strong foundation is a series of layered defenses, so that in the event one defense fails, the other defenses are in place to protect the critical digital assets. Network segmentation is the first type of layered defense. By segmenting the network and introducing several isolated areas, a breach can be contained. A good example would be to isolate the guest Wi-Fi from the clinical network and then isolate the IoMT devices from the EHR systems. If a guest's device fell victim to a breach, the breach could not spread or become further compromised within the patient care systems.

An effective defense goes beyond segmentation to continuous visibility. An organizations use of Intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS) is now a must. An IDPS analyzes every packet of data on the network looking for anomalies. An IDPS can block a cyber attack as it occurs, in real-time. And with these is the use of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) applications to aggregate data from the security devices into one view of an organization's security posture. For the busy health system, an overall view is the only way to identify a developing threat in a timely manner. It allows an organization to move from a siloed approach with security, to one that is coordinated and comprehensive.

For those with an extensive IT background, the notion of simplistic perimeter defense is out of date. Today's healthcare environment is completely perimeterless -- always remote access, telemedicine, third-party vendors, and so on that are constantly connecting to your network. As such, perimeter security should be enhanced with zero-trust architecture. This framework is based on the concept of "never trust, always verify" which essentially states that no user or device inside or outside of the organization can access network resources without first being authenticated and authorized as defined by the organization. This practice greatly minimizes the potential for insider threats or a compromised account that leads to a larger breach.

The New Frontier: Cloud Security

Healthcare organizations are increasingly embracing digital solutions and therefore many are moving their data and applications to the cloud. Although organizations may reap many benefits from moving to the cloud such as scalability and accessibility, cloud migration also has its drawbacks, primarily related to security. One key misconception worth mentioning is the assumption that once data and/or applications are moved to the cloud, security is delegated to the cloud provider (also referred to as cloud vendor). That is not the case; there is a model of shared responsibility. The cloud provider handles the security of the infrastructure, while the organization has ownership of the security of the data and applications that they place on it. It may only take a simple misconfiguration to expose a wealth of health information, so this is an area of focus for cloud security.

While cloud security has many similarities to on-premises security, good cloud security will engage a different set of controls than that for on-premises security. First, cloud security is grounded in Identity and Access Management (IAM) and involves verification of who can access the cloud services and what actions they can take. As with any on-premises system, the principle of least privilege should be reinforced. Second, it is important to emphasize data encryption; sensitive patient data must always be encrypted at rest (when archived) and in transit (when moving). Most security breaches within the cloud are often tied to not encrypting stored data or obtaining access to a misconfigured storage bucket in which sensitive data is not encrypted.

Dealing with multiple cloud services and APIs is a whole other level of difficulty for a seasoned pro. Cloud Security has evolved to move beyond knowing just one platform to now figuring out how to secure data that traverses many environments. You need to monitor the configurations of the clouds continuously, using automation tools to discover and correct flaws before someone exploits them. No longer are you securing a "box," but rather a concurrent logical environment.

Cultivating a Culture of Cyber Security

Technology is just one piece of solution; the human aspect is most commonly the weakest link in any security chain. Phishing attacks are still the most effective means of any cyber attack, taking advantage of humans' innate tendency to trust. Because of this, security awareness training must be continually enforced at all levels and not just at an introductory level. Security awareness training must go beyond the generic information provided in security awareness training and concentrate on the specific threats that healthcare professionals face. Training should include the simulation of phishing-type emails and educating personnel what constitutes suspicious activity and their obligation to report it. Speaking broadly, it’s turning every hired employee into an employee of the security team. 

For leaders, the challenge is creating a culture where security is everyone's responsibility and cannot simply lie with the organization’s IT department. Leaders must engineer a safe environment for people to report anything that is outside the norm, without fear of being reprimanded for whatever behavior it is. Likewise, leaders must provide the proper tools and training and invest in the future of their employees. Leadership can invest in professional development and certification for their IT and clinical staff that handle data, this way they are not only shoring up defenses but building up internal expertise.

Conclusion

Cyber threats targeting healthcare make it more important than ever to place computer security first. As healthcare digitalizes, there are new sophisticated adversaries. Cyber security is now fundamentally about protecting a healthcare organization’s ability to provide care, not just protecting data. The approach to mitigating risks requires multi-faceted proactive thinking and a human element. Creating an effective framework for the safety of both health information and the organization began with establishing a base level of network security, efficiently navigating new paradigms with cloud-based healthcare services, and establishing physical access with cybersecurity matters at the forefront of the employees' mind. The objective is not to simply prevail over the next breach incident but rather, to achieve the inherent potential benefits of digital health, in a secure manner, without jeopardizing the maintenance of trust between patients and their providers.

As cyber threats evolve, upskilling in the most in-demand cybersecurity skills of 2025 is essential for staying ahead in the industry.For any upskilling or training programs designed to help you either grow or transition your career, it's crucial to seek certifications from platforms that offer credible certificates, provide expert-led training, and have flexible learning patterns tailored to your needs. You could explore job market demanding programs with iCertGlobal; here are a few programs that might interest you:

1. CYBER SECURITY ETHICAL HACKING (CEH) CERTIFICATION
2. Certified Information Systems Security Professional
3. Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control
4. Certified Information Security Manager
5. Certified Information Systems Auditor

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the primary motive behind a cyber attack on healthcare?
   The motives are multifaceted. While financial gain through ransomware is common, attackers also seek valuable patient data for identity theft and medical fraud. Nation-state actors may target intellectual property related to medical research or aim to disrupt critical infrastructure.
    
2. How is network security different for a healthcare organization?
   Network security in healthcare requires a specific focus on protecting sensitive patient data. This includes micro-segmenting the network to isolate critical systems, securing legacy medical devices, and implementing a zero-trust model to prevent an attacker from moving laterally through the network.
    
3. What are the key components of a robust cloud security strategy?
   A robust cloud security strategy must prioritize a shared responsibility model, where the organization secures its data and applications. This includes strict Identity and Access Management (IAM), comprehensive data encryption, and continuous monitoring of cloud configurations to prevent common missteps that lead to breaches.
    
4. Why are employees considered the weakest link in cybersecurity?
   Employees are often the target of social engineering tactics like phishing, which seek to exploit human trust to gain access to a network. A lack of cybersecurity awareness and training can lead to inadvertent errors that can bypass even the most advanced technical defenses, making them a critical point of vulnerability.
    
5. How can healthcare professionals stay ahead of evolving threats?
   Staying ahead requires continuous learning and a proactive approach. Professionals can get a better understanding of the latest threats through professional certifications, participation in threat intelligence sharing networks, and regular, hands-on training that simulates real-world attack scenarios.