Recent reports indicate healthcare organizations are approaching cybersecurity with a “business as usual” mindset. Providers are averaging less than 6 percent of their information technology budget on security, according to HIMSS Analytics, the research arm of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. In contrast, the federal government spends 16 percent of its IT budget on security, and financial and banking institutions spend 12 percent to 15 percent. These statistics show it’s a good time for a healthy shot in the arm for risk management, and there are some simple steps that organizations can take protect patient information.
Ransomware
Threat: Today’s most invasive threat—some say a crisis—is ransomware, a type of malware that locks down a computer network unless a ransom is paid. It’s a well-used tool in a hacker’s tool box because it continues to work. A hospital employee may download a file from what looks like an email from a co-worker and soon find that electronic health records and other clinic information systems are inaccessible. A message appears providing instructions on how to pay a ransom to obtain a decryption key.
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