How can healthcare organizations ensure network security in the cloud?

3 Encrypt and protect data in transit and at rest

To protect the confidentiality and integrity of health data, healthcare organizations should encrypt and protect it both in transit and at rest. They should use secure protocols, such as HTTPS, SSL, or TLS, to encrypt the data while it is being transferred between the cloud and the local network. They should also use encryption keys and algorithms that meet industry standards, such as AES or RSA, to encrypt the data while it is stored in the cloud. Moreover, they should manage and store their encryption keys securely, and avoid sharing them with third parties or the cloud provider.

4 Apply patches and updates regularly

To prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities, healthcare organizations should apply patches and updates regularly to their cloud systems and applications. They should follow the recommendations and guidelines of their cloud provider and vendors, and test the patches and updates before deploying them. They should also schedule the patches and updates during off-peak hours or periods of low demand, to minimize the impact on performance and availability. Additionally, they should backup their data before applying any patches or updates, in case of any errors or failures.

5 Educate and train staff and users

To reduce the human factor of network security risks, healthcare organizations should educate and train their staff and users on the best practices and policies of cloud security. They should provide regular awareness sessions and workshops on topics such as phishing, malware, password hygiene, and data privacy. They should also create and enforce a clear and comprehensive cloud security policy that defines the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of staff and users. Furthermore, they should test and evaluate the knowledge and skills of their staff and users, and provide feedback and support.

6 Use cloud security tools and services

To enhance and supplement their network security in the cloud, healthcare organizations should use cloud security tools and services that offer additional features and functions. They should consider using tools such as firewalls, antivirus, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and VPNs, to protect their network perimeter and endpoints. They should also consider using services such as cloud access security brokers, cloud security posture management, and cloud workload protection, to monitor and manage their cloud environment and workloads. However, they should carefully select and integrate these tools and services, and ensure they are compatible and compliant with their cloud provider and network.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?