STRONG MEASURES FOR YOUR OWN NETWORKS IS ONE THING , BUT THESE CAN QUICKLY BE MADE REDUNDANT IF SECURITY ISN ’ T UP TO SCRATCH ACROSS THE ENTIRE SUPPLY CHAIN .
INDUSTRY WATCH
STRONG MEASURES FOR YOUR OWN NETWORKS IS ONE THING , BUT THESE CAN QUICKLY BE MADE REDUNDANT IF SECURITY ISN ’ T UP TO SCRATCH ACROSS THE ENTIRE SUPPLY CHAIN .
Healthcare institutions remain a major target for hackers , with the sector experiencing an average of 1,684 attacks per week in the first quarter of 2023 alone . protected : 61 % of organizations within the healthcare industry suffered a cyberattack on their cloud infrastructure during 2022 , with phishing attempts rife throughout the sector .
Once hackers access a hospital ’ s network sensitive patient data can be easily exploited – with some attacks resulting in life-threatening consequences .
Equipment that is used to sustain patient life contains a variety of sensors and monitoring technologies , all of which can be used by attackers to gain access to entire networks should adequate protection not be in place .
The functionalities of these sensors can even be weaponized to cause physical harm to patients , making security measures that can prevent these attacks of paramount importance to healthcare institutions .
Financial repercussions for institutions are not limited to successful ransomware attacks ; any exposure of patient information can also lead to significant fines
But patient welfare is the key concern .
As medical records hold significant value for cybercriminals , it is essential that any organization holding this data are protected with the best security practices – strong encryption and authentication protocols – and the most up-to-date standards .
In the event of a cracked password or exposed security layer , measures are required that can minimise the damage and ensure patients and staff can trust the databases and equipment they use daily .
To this end , the Trusted Computing Group ( TCG ) play a crucial role in ensuring the reliability and trustworthiness of devices found within the healthcare sector .
The technologies , guidance and standards devised by bodies like the TCG should be used as the foundation for trust in computing systems large and small , especially in sectors where attacks continue to rise .
For hackers , the healthcare sector is a treasure trove of valuable information , as many hospitals operate on outdated , unsecure IT systems .
Seventy-three per cent of healthcare provider organizations use legacy networks that are laden with systemic vulnerabilities .
Owing to the age of these systems , the sector has to spend significant sums to support and maintain them when budgets could be put to better use elsewhere .
Just because some organizations have moved to cloud infrastructure doesn ’ t necessarily mean they are better
These enable organizations to establish ‘ trusted computing ’ within their systems , with building blocks that enable components within a computer network to trust all other pieces of hardware and software they are linked to .
One crucial element in establishing integrity and accuracy across healthcare systems is through Root of-Trust ( RoT ) hardware .
Considered the foundational component of security for any connected device , solutions like the Trusted Platform Module ( TPM ) can help verify any data provided to a device to confirm it originates from an authorized source .
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