10/16/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/16/2024 08:21
Because of the vast amount of sensitive PII and financial data it holds, the healthcare industry is a frequent victim of hackers and other threat actors, driving the average cost of a healthcare breach to $10.93 million.1 Yet, it is also one of the biggest adopters of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, many which directly impact patient health and well-being.
For these reasons and others, the healthcare sector is subject to special compliance and data security requirements. The World Economic Forum reported that the healthcare industry produces approximately 30% of all data worldwide and that number is not only increasing but rising faster than any other industry.2,3 Much of that data is unstructured, making it more difficult to categorize and standardize, and, in turn, making governance practices more difficult to deploy.4 Without good governance practices and policies, it doesn't just open up risks for the network and data, it also negatively impacts business operations and patient care.
In the healthcare sector, data governance centers around safeguarding patient information. Requirements for this data protection include implementing policies, risk assessments, and access controls for the following:
The healthcare industry uses IoT and edge applications to improve overall patient care. Medical professionals can use these devices and applications to monitor patient vital statistics remotely or to manage medications and treatments.
However, the hyperconnectivity of IoT devices comes with greater risk. Because of the value of the data in the healthcare sector, threat actors see IoT devices as an easy way to gain access to a network. And threat actors are getting in: the weekly average attacks against the healthcare sector is more than 2,000, an increase of 32% over a year ago. Ransomware, DDoS attacks, and data breaches are the most common threats to healthcare via IoT devices.6
IoT devices are vulnerable for a variety of reasons that include:
To ensure healthcare data is safe and secure and that patients are able to get the best care, there are some best data governance practices to follow:
Data governance in healthcare has to be practiced at every level, from the CEO to the medical staff to the front desk receptionist. Without proper governance, patient data and security of the organization will be at risk.
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Industrial Cyber, CPR data reports 32% rise this year, as global healthcare sector faces surge in cyberattacks
Jennifer Johnson, Director Healthcare Strategy and Business Development, joined Connection in 2010 starting in field sales and joined the healthcare practice in 2015. Jennifer has more than 20 years in IT, including prior roles in distribution and manufacturing. Jennifer holds her Certified Digital Health Leader designation from the CHIME organization and is a member of HIMSS, where Connection is a diamond sponsor. Jen was named CRN Women of the Channel in 2023 and 2024 and holds certifications from NVIDIA (AI Advisor- Sales) and Dell Technologies (AI Champion- Partner Sales).