The Data Protection Act is an important part of the cyber domain and legislation for anyone working in health and social care. It governs how to protect the information in health and social care. This blog post will explore the implications of the act on healthcare professionals, patients and other individuals who may have dealings with you as an organisation or individual providing care to others and the importance of protecting sensitive data in health and social care.

Every day healthcare providers must undertake the nerve-racking task of complying with an increasing number of healthcare regulations. According to one report, the healthcare industry spends nearly $39 billion every year on the administrative burdens of regulatory compliance. Today healthcare organizations must comply with more than 600 regulatory requirements.

Covid-19 pushed the boundaries of both healthcare and technology providers, and nudged people to finally embrace telehealth services. In fact, telehealth has proven to be the next frontier for the healthcare industry as it minimizes the need for in-person patient, clinic, or hospital visits which prevents overwhelming our healthcare systems. A McKinsey report shared that the use of telehealth in the US in 2021 surged 38 times compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The healthcare industry is a veritable honeypot for cybercrime, replete with vast amounts of sensitive digital information that expands in number and scope daily, including personal medical data and payment card details. This data is increasingly attractive to hackers, particularly those using ransomware to lock out organizations and hold onto sensitive information until the organization pays up.

The healthcare industry has always been an appealing target for cybercriminals. From high-value patient data to a low tolerance for downtime that could disrupt patient care, cybercriminals continue to find ways to take advantage of healthcare cybersecurity practices. In recent years, the healthcare industry has seen a 55% increase in cybersecurity threats, turning attacks on healthcare providers into a $13.2 billion industry and making it a gold mine for cybercriminals.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 is a U.S. federal law meant to protect sensitive electronic protected health information (ePHI). Every healthcare organization (“covered entity”) must comply with its two fundamental rules. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) passed the HIPAA Omnibus Final Rule, which expanded compliance requirements to the business associates that also handle ePHI on behalf of covered entities.

Connected devices offer healthcare providers ways to remotely monitor patient health. Additionally, hospitals use these devices for enhanced patient care, including medication delivery and vitals monitoring. However, malicious actors often use unsecured IoMT as part of their attack methodologies.

Most ransomware groups operating in the RaaS (Ransomware-as-a-Service) model have an internal code of ethics that includes avoiding breaching some specific sectors, such as hospitals or critical infrastructure, thus avoiding great harm to society and consequently drawing less attention from law enforcement.