Safeguarding Digital Healthcare Data from Cyberattacks

In 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) reported 541 instances of data breaches impacting over 500 individuals. Some of these incidents affected millions, or even tens of millions of individuals, such as the widely publicized breach at HCA Healthcare during the summer. 

On Thanksgiving of the same year, Ardent Health Services experienced a ransomware attack, prompting the 30-hospital system to proactively shut down and suspend all user access to its IT applications. This resulted in delays in non-emergency procedures. 

As of February 2024, HIPAA Journal recorded 24 data breaches involving 10,000 healthcare records. 

New industry requirements surrounding healthcare data security are on the horizon as legislators move to hold organizations accountable for data protection. 

HIPAA Privacy Rule, 45 CFR Part 160 and Subparts A and E of Part 164, delineates permitted and required uses and disclosures of protected health information (PHI). PHI can exist in any form, including on paper, film, and in electronic form, and is considered individually identifiable health information. 

HIPAA Security Rule, 45 CFR Part 160 and Part 164, Subparts A and C, outlines requirements for electronic PHI (ePHI). Covered entities and their business associates are mandated to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of ePHI. 

HIPAA Breach Notification Rule, 45 CFR §§ 164.400-414, requires HIPAA-covered entities and their business associates to provide notification following a breach of unsecured protected health information. 

NIST Special Publication 800 NIST SP 800-66r2, published in Feb 2024, provides guidance for regulated entities (i.e., HIPAA-covered entities and business associates) on assessing and managing risks to ePHI, identifies typical activities that a regulated entity might consider implementing as part of an information security program, and presents guidance that regulated entities can utilize in whole or in part to help improve their cybersecurity posture and assist with achieving compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule. 

In December 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a concept paper outlining its cybersecurity strategy for the healthcare sector. This strategy emphasizes heightened enforcement efforts and the establishment of elevated industry practice standards. Subsequently, in January 2024, HHS unveiled its Health Care and Public Health Sector-Specific Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPGs). These goals are divided into "essential" and "enhanced" categories, aiming to address prevalent cybersecurity vulnerabilities within the healthcare industry. 

The HHS 405(d) program offers practical guidance for healthcare organizations tackling the complexities of implementing robust data security measures. This initiative underscores the strategic integration of Data Loss Prevention (DLP) systems as a pivotal component of a comprehensive data security framework. Tailoring DLP solutions to align with the distinct needs of healthcare workflows holds the potential to significantly reduce false positives and enhance the overall effectiveness of data protection initiatives.  

Federal laws like the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) safeguard the confidentiality of personal data. In addition to these federal regulations, new state laws continue to emerge, further reinforcing data privacy and protection measures: 

With patient data and safety of paramount importance, how can healthcare providers be sure their existing security tools are effective against evolving threats? 

There has been a noticeable uptick in attacks targeting smaller, regional healthcare providers, underscoring the need for strong cybersecurity measures. These organizations typically store extremely sensitive data, rendering them prime targets for hackers. Implementing "multi-layered" security approaches, incorporating data loss prevention and proactive threat detection, is crucial for minimizing potential harm. 

DLP involves strategies aimed at averting inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data, like patient records or PHI. This is particularly crucial in healthcare, where the compromise of PHI can profoundly impact patients, potentially leading to identity theft or compromised medical treatment. Establishing a robust DLP strategy is imperative for organizations to mitigate data breaches and uphold the security and confidentiality of healthcare data. 

OPSWAT Proactive DLP detects and blocks sensitive, out-of-policy and confidential data in files and emails. Equipped to mitigate potential data breaches, Proactive DLP employs a comprehensive array of security measures, including detecting file-borne malware, employing AI-powered document classification, and leveraging Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for sensitive information redaction. It supports HIPAA compliance through robust data loss prevention, access controls, and risk mitigation capabilities.  

OPSWAT MetaDefender Platform offers comprehensive threat prevention tailored for healthcare organizations to handle health data securely and cost-effectively. MetaDefender Platform simplifies security operation processes, scales easily, and provides market-leading technologies for a defense-in-depth strategy, such as: 

• Deep CDR disarms potentially malicious files and regenerates safe-to-use content.
• Multiscanning detects both known and unknown malware with 30+ AV engines.
• Adaptive Sandbox detects malware with dynamic and static analysis.
• Country of Origin restricts access to data based on location and vendor.