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Healthcare

The secure email standard: safeguarding data in health and social care

To help secure sensitive data, emails that include health and care information sent to and from health and social care organisations are required to meet the Secure Email Standard (DCB1596). In this article, we discuss the standard, what it covers, and how to ensure your organisation fully meets its requirements.

Cybersecurity Challenges in European Telehealth

Telehealth or telemedicine is one of the most common ways of providing healthcare services in the EU, with nearly 77% of countries adopting some type of telehealth service. Countries like Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Italy are considered some of the world’s leaders in providing telehealth services. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth became widely adopted across Europe, with many countries participating in cross-border collaboration.

The Top 18 Healthcare Industry Cyber Attacks of the Past Decade

10.93 million dollars USD. That’s the average cost of a healthcare breach in the U.S. It’s an alarming number that’s only continued to climb, increasing by over 53% in the past three years, according to IBM’s 2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report. In fact, the healthcare industry has had the highest average cost of a breach for 13 years running. It’s not just the costs that are climbing, either.

Change Healthcare Ransomware Attack Spotlights Single Point of Failure with Third-Party Vendor

The ongoing cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a major player in medical claims processing in the United States, had profound repercussions across the healthcare sector. With the company forced to disconnect over 100 systems, medical claims processing ground to a halt. This disruption, termed by the president and chief executive of the American Hospital Association as “the most serious incident of its kind” in healthcare, brought many medical providers to the brink of closure.

Healthcare Industry on High Alert: Trustwave Research Reveals Cyber Threats Persist

Recent cyberattacks and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) research indicate the danger facing the healthcare industry is not subsiding, which means healthcare providers must maintain a high level of alert and continue to bolster their cyber defenses.

Avoid Threats and Vulnerabilities with HIPAA Risk Assessment

Nearly 50 million healthcare records were compromised in 2022, highlighting a dire need for proactive data security measures in this rapidly evolving digital landscape. For healthcare entities storing ePHI (Electronic Protected Health Information), a comprehensive HIPAA Risk Assessment is a foundational step towards protecting sensitive data and ensuring compliance. Furthermore, establishing robust Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) is a HIPAA mandate; failure to do so invites substantial penalties.

What is the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (HRIPA)?

The Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (HRIPA) is a comprehensive legislation established to protect the privacy and security of health information in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. This legislative framework shares many similarities with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule in the United States in their goals to ensure data privacy, security, and handling of health information in the healthcare sector.

Emerging Threats: What's New in the Cybersecurity Landscape?

In a time where sensitive information is increasingly moving online, AI systems are developing and we are increasingly relying on the internet in our day-to-day activities, cybersecurity threats loom larger than ever. A recent study found that cyber attacks are escalating at an unprecedented rate, with a new attack now occurring every 39 seconds. While a startling statistic, this shouldn't come as a surprise, in 2024 just about everyone is inundated with hacking attempts and scams whether the attack is a phone call, text, email or malicious software.

Advancing Healthcare Cybersecurity: Embracing the Full Spectrum of Zero Trust

The healthcare industry, which is entrusted with people’s most sensitive data, is no stranger to cyber-attacks and breaches. This is supported by statements made on behalf of the American Hospital Association revealing that healthcare cyberattacks in 2023 affected more than 100 million people.