Healthcare has always ranked among the most targeted industries for cyber-attacks, and with the pandemic and more employees working from home, unfortunately these activities have only grown as cybercriminals see an opportunity to take advantage of perceived vulnerabilities.
The first step in fortifying your organization against threats is to be aware of what they are. The following are a few of the most pervasive and damaging facing the healthcare industry today.
Malicious Network Traffic
- These are attempts to gain unauthorized access to networks to steal data or perform other malicious activity.
- Attackers use malware and other methods to capitalize on weaknesses in a network’s security.
- The compromised network is then vulnerable to monitoring and illegal software downloads.
Ransomware
- This perpetuates through deceptive links in email messages, instant messages, or websites.
- Attackers encrypt a victim’s files and demand payment to return the encrypted information.
- Malicious software is used to block access to a computer system until the ransom is paid.
Phishing
- This targets employee vulnerabilities through email, telephone, or text messages to attack systems.
- Attackers pose as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive data about themselves or their organization.
- The data is then used to gain unauthorized access to networks to perform a variety of malicious activities.
Insider and Third-Party Threats
- These involve either a perpetrator within an organization, or a vendor with access to a partner’s sensitive data.
- Insiders can capitalize on known vulnerabilities for malicious purposes, or external attackers can exploit a vendor’s gaps in unpatched security systems to reach an organization.
Want more information about how to combat these threats? Access Forcura’s toolkit for resources including a webinar and valuable guides that will help you bolster your organization’s defenses.
