The healthcare industry is full of sensitive information, such as for example medical records and Social Security numbers. That makes it a prime target for cybercriminals who wish to steal patients' data and sell it on the dark web. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services estimates this one in three health care providers experienced a breach in 2017 alone, costing $6 billion each year in losses and penalties. With this kind of threat looming over their heads, you'd think healthcare providers would be taking steps to secure their IT systems—but many aren't doing enough simply because they don't know how important security risk management really is.
The Healthcare Industry Is A Target For Cybercriminals
The healthcare industry is just a target for cybercriminals. Healthcare providers are vulnerable to cyberattacks and can be viewed high-value targets, since the info they hold is valuable on the black market. Cybercriminals know this, so your organization might be at risk of being hacked.
The cyber risk assessment that come with operating in the healthcare industry are numerous and complex. The stakes are high: if one of your employees' accounts is compromised by hackers and they get access to sensitive patient data, there might be serious consequences for you personally as an employer or business owner when it comes to damage control—not to mention potential legal implications!
Healthcare Providers Have A Lot To Lose In A Security Breach
The healthcare industry is just a tempting target for cybercriminals. They're after patient data, sensitive patient information and financial information. Hackers also want to steal or damage proprietary information that might be used for insider trading or forgery. In regards to the types of data hackers want, you will find few industries with increased to lose than healthcare providers.
We've seen that the healthcare industry has a lot to lose in a protection breach, but regardless of this risk, many providers still have outdated systems and are unprepared for an attack. This ultimately puts patients at risk. That's why it's so crucial that you invest time and resources into IT security risk management—especially if you work on one of these simple organizations!
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