Until now, we’ve become used to regular cyberattacks where hackers steal information or money. But with the advent of killware – a software that causes severe damage and can target human lives – there’s a new foe to protect against. Killware hacker aims to target healthcare facilities or places like police departments, electricity grids, and dams.
Delivering quality patient care online and securing privacy is challenging for any developer trying to create a healthcare app. They must abide by regulations from the GDPR and HIPAA guidelines. It’s also essential for users to know that their data is completely secure and won’t fall into the wrong hands.
How is data protected?
The first thing in line of defense is restricted access to data and permissions. Access controls restrict who can see sensitive information such as patient records and biometric results. It ensures that only doctors or nurses can see them when required to perform an observation or an analysis.
Before looking at the data, doctors must go through multiple authentication processes such as a PIN, password, card, key, fingerprint, facial recognition, or eye scan. As a guarantee, there are always two verification processes they need to complete before looking at the data.
Data usage controls
Apart from access controls, there are data usage controls. This goes above and beyond access to ensure no virus can infiltrate the system. Suppose malware tries to pass through as a seemingly ordinary document. In that case, there are monitoring tools that flag it immediately. Suspicious activity includes anything related to interacting with external drives, unauthorized emails, and web uploads. Every file that passes through is identified and tagged before being protected.
Monitoring and logging use
Since a healthcare facility is a centralized hub, the software they use has multiple layers of operation. Business associates and providers are constantly monitoring what users are doing. It includes all the devices that have access to the software, where they’re using it, and what kind of information they’re looking at.
All of this activity gets logged and later gets used for auditing purposes. This helps developers see whether an area needs more protection. If a mistake or incident happens at some point, these logs can pinpoint what happened, which minimizes damages.
Encrypting data
All the data that gets stored in healthcare apps is encrypted. This means that even if hackers gain access to the database, they will only see jumbled words, numbers, and special characters. A unique code must be used for the information to make sense again. In most cases, this makes it impossible for cyber attackers to steal a patient’s records or sensitive information.
Securing mobile devices
Healthcare personnel haven’t been immune to the smartphone revolution. They’re increasingly using these devices as their primary method of communication. Not only that, but they’re accessing sensitive data through mobile phones that have multiple security drawbacks.
Allowing permission when downloading apps can potentially leak confidential information. Tik Tok is primarily known for keeping tabs on sensitive data. That’s why mobile users need to be extremely cautious when installing apps and only do that for ones that have been whitelisted or pre-vetted beforehand.
Android devices have more security drawbacks compared to iOS users. That makes it easier for hackers to hijack the code and see what’s happening inside. That’s one of the reasons why an Android VPN is a recommended tool in healthcare facilities.
Hospitals often have free Wi-Fi, which hackers can use to launch man-in-the-middle attacks. If their attack succeeds, they can access all emails, passwords, credit card information, and patient data. VPNs serve to encrypt an IP address and make it impossible for cyber attackers to perform a breach.
Mitigating the risks from connected devices
Smartphones are not the only liability when it comes to security. Internet of Things devices are incredibly unsafe. This goes for smart locks, cameras, or blood pressure monitors. They must function on a separate network with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication to keep them safe. A team of professionals constantly monitors them just in case there are changes in the activity levels and updates the software when needed.
Education
The least secure element in any computer network is the human being. Being negligent or simply making a mistake can have major consequences for an organization. For that reason, employees constantly get updated on the newest practices to keep them away from making the wrong decision. Patient data is extremely important, and it must always stay confidential.
Data backups
If all of the data is in one place, it can become compromised. Let’s say that a hospital keeps all patient records as paper copies and on their local server. The consequences could become irreparable if a fire breaks out or a natural disaster occurs. In addition to having the data locally, it’s also backed up to another secure location that isn’t close to the site. Of course, all information is encrypted during file transfers and storage.
Regularly assessing risk
Last but not least, there are risk assessments. Testing your defenses is the optimal way to look for shortcomings, weak points, and vulnerabilities. New hacks happen daily, and being proactive in their prevention saves healthcare providers from penalties and reputation damages.