Cyber security & Cyber Attacks?
Source: https://youtu.be/0Xe8K9SX52s
What Role does Cyber Security plays on Our Computer systems and Networks? (Or what is Cyber Security?)
Cyber Security or IT security is used to protect or defend hardware, software, or electronic data from information disclosure, theft of, or damage and also Malicious Cyber Attacks.
Cyber Attack Risks:
These are few risk factors with Cyber attacks which can put your confidential & personal information at risk,
1.????Personal health information,
2.????Social Security numbers,
3.????Credit card information, &
4.????Bank accounts.
Cyber security in the Healthcare System:
Source: https://youtu.be/0Xe8K9SX52s
Cybersecurity in the Healthcare system has become one of the great threats in the healthcare industry.
Information Technology Pros should address healthcare data security issues as per the (HIPAA) laws to help patients and the damage that healthcare security breaches.
Electronic health records (EHRs) have sensitive information about patients’ medical information Reports, which makes hospital network security a prime IT concern. It is possible for physicians and other healthcare professionals, & insurance companies, to share essential information with the help of (EHRs). Coordinating care and facilitating insurance matters became easier. Medical professionals are now able to meet dynamic ways to meet patients’ needs. However, people’s essential data, in our modern healthcare create IT security at risk from hackers and cybercriminals. Criminals get attracted to large-scale networks. Yes, it is useful in providing good quality medical care in more lager networks but it becomes more vulnerable to cybercriminals.
“The University Of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, Vt., was hit by a massive ransomware attack during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Many Health care systems have faced cyber attacks.
A University of Vermont Medical Center employee accidentally opened a mail from her homeowner's association, which was hacked, in October 2020.
This accidental mistake led to the state’s largest hospital in Burlington The University of Vermont Health Network canceled surgeries, mammogram appointments, and cancer patients’ treatments postponed.
After the confirmation of the ransomware attack they were forced to officially shut down all internet connections, even the access to patient's electronic health records, to prevent cybercriminals from doing any more damage to patient’s personal information & data.
Ransomware attacks forced hospitals to divert ambulances, disrupt chemotherapy, delay reporting lab results and postpone appointments for maternity patients.
They were forced to buy walkie-talkies because they couldn’t communicate or mail or reach out to anyone through any network service. The United States has faced cyber attacks for the past few years, there has been a growing number of health care organizations and hospitals, interrupting care and putting patients at risk. These risk factors include some of the public health facilities run by state or local governments. John Riggi,?said during the pandemic period, Health care systems especially hospitals have been rapidly expanding their network and technologies related to internet connectivity and deploying remote systems to support staffers who shifted to telework. The Hackers and Scammers took advantage of that and had more opportunities to get into our networks.
According to?Brett Callow?In 2020 and 2021, around 168 ransomware attacks affected 1,763 clinics, in the The United States health care organizations and hospitals. According to the Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center, which is a nonprofit global cyber threat-sharing group for the healthcare industry, a survey that took place in November of 132 healthcare executives, mostly from the United States, found that?Ransomware?was the top cyber security threat, compared to other cyber security attacks like data breaches or insider threats.
Ransomware was the top cyber security threat, compared to other cyber security attacks like data breaches or insider threats, in 2018. Ransomware is a form of malware that targets devices without any user interaction, often locking files and demanding a ransom for their release. Here are some interesting facts about ransomware:?
1) Ransomware attacks have doubled every year since 2013 with notable spikes in 2017 and 2018;?
2) The best time to detect crypto-ransomware is before it encrypts your computer's critical data;?
3) Healthcare organizations are among the biggest ransomware victims;?
4) Predictive analytics can help uncover emerging threats before they become a serious problem.
Cybersecurity company was the first company to create ransomware detection tools. They released a report in the fall of 2017 stating that there was a whopping 5,000% increase in ransomware attacks that year alone. While there are more types of malware out there like crypto jacking, which is the illicit use of your device's processor to mine for cryptocurrency without you knowing, this report primarily focuses on two popular forms of malware: crypto locker and crypto wall. Cryptolocker is one type of ransomware that works by encrypting computer files so you can no longer access them unless you pay the hackers a ransom in Bitcoin.
Cybersecurity has become a global concern for the last couple of years, but the healthcare industry is increasingly becoming a priority in this new global challenge. Cybersecurity concerns have arisen around the most recent ransomware attacks (including WannaCry and NotPetya), but also other cyber attacks that are more prevalent in other industries such as credit cards and investment accounts. The reasons behind these attacks primarily rely on the fact that a computer system is only as secure as its weakest link. For healthcare organizations, the weakest link often ends user devices because of their lack of security controls. Devices like laptops that are used both by patients and employees are often not set up with passwords or secured with antivirus software or malware protection software.
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Healthcare Information Systems a Target for Security Threats? Why?
Many small to medium-sized businesses, especially those involved in health care, have turned to medical information systems. They provide a secure way to store and manage patient records and other private data.
However, these very same systems are an easy target for hackers due to the sheer amount of data they contain which can be used for identity theft or abuse by unauthorized individuals with ill intentions. This is especially worrying as many of these businesses rely on their medical information systems not only for legitimate business purposes but also as security measures against risks such as personal data being lost or stolen.
Understanding Threats Ransomware and Other Malware:
Ransomware is a significant threat to the?confidentiality,?integrity?and?availability?of information. When a machine or a device is infected by ransom ware, the files and other data are typically encrypted, access is denied and ransom is demanded. In essence, the data is held hostage by the cybercriminal and a demand is made to pay the ransom in order for the data to be returned back to the user. However, paying the ransom is?not?a guarantee that the data will be restored. In some cases, the ransom may be paid, but the data may never be restored despite promises to the contrary.
In addition to ransom ware, there are many other types of malware that pose a threat to healthcare organizations. These include?credential stealers?whereby usernames, passwords and other tokens are stolen by cybercriminals and?wipers?in which entire disk drives may be erased and the data may be unrecoverable.
Phishing
Threats to computer systems and devices are not just simply malware, however. Phishing is typically the initial point of compromise for significant security incidents. Phishing is particularly effective since the individual user is targeted and may be fooled into disclosing sensitive information, clicking on a malicious link, or opening a malicious attachment.
Phishing emails tend to be the most common form of phishing, although phishing may also occur by way of websites, social media, text messages, voice calls, and the like. Hallmarks of phishing emails may include poor spelling and grammar (although not always), too good to be true claims, and language that conveys a sense of urgency or which preys on an individual’s fear or greed. General phishing emails are those emails that are not sent to specific recipients and that do not contain tailored content. Essentially, general phishing emails are a one size fits all.
Examples of general phishing email, source: HIMSS Cybersecurity Community
Example of spear-phishing email, source: HIMSS Cybersecurity Community
?Alternatively, an online scam artist may send a?spear-phishing?email to a specific employee within an organization or to a specific department or unit within an organization. Unlike general phishing emails, spear-phishing emails are tailored to the targeted recipients. Because spear-phishing emails are targeted, they tend to be more effective than general phishing emails. In other words, spear-phishing emails tend to have a higher click rate/response rate than general phishing emails.
领英推荐
Example of whaling email, source: HIMSS Cybersecurity Community
Like spear-phishing,?whaling?emails are also tailored to the recipient. Whaling occurs when an online scam artist targets a “big fish” (i.e., a c-suite executive, such as the CEO, CFO, CIO, etc.). As an example, a whaling email may be sent from an online scam artist to a chief financial officer in order to convince him or her to wire funds to an account that is controlled by the online scam artist. Like other kinds of phishing, the objective of whaling is to deceive the target, but not to arouse suspicion about the ruse.
Example of SMiShing, source: HIMSS Cybersecurity Community
Other forms of phishing exist, such as, but not limited to, SMS phishing (also called?SMiShing). This is when the online scam artist crafts a deceptive message to the target via a text message to a mobile phone.
“Cybersecurity Healthcare Laws and Regulations”
This Act (HIPAA) is a federal requirement in the U.S. that applies to?covered entities?and?business associates. HIPAA consists of the HIPAA Privacy Rule,?
The?HIPAA Privacy Rule, 45 CFR Part 160?
42 CFR Part 2
Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act
European Union General Data Protection Regulation
Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act”
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Cyber Security Tips in healthcare system:
1.????Never open mail attachments from an unknown sender.
2.????Do not share personal information over the phone or through mail except with a trusted organization. Because it might turn out to be a seemingly trusted agent who in turn mostly would be a scammer or hacker.
3.????Don’t share your password & credentials with anyone and Create a secure password
4.????Create New and don’t forget to change passwords frequently.
5.????Do not share or forward or open suspicious unknown non trusted coupons.
6.????Don’t Share or forward or open chain emails.
7.????Use anti-virus software: Security solutions:?Update software for the best level of protection so Total Security can detect and removes threats. Keep your electronic devices Safe.
8.????Use strong passwords:?Passwords shouldn’t be easily guessable, create a Strong password by adding punctuations and numeric values to your password.
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References:
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