Healthcare Under Siege: The Growing Threat to Patient Safety
Healthcare systems are facing unprecedented cybersecurity challenges, with attacks targeting Operational Technology (OT) devices and critical medical infrastructure. These threats compromise patient safety, disrupt operations, and expose confidential records, highlighting the urgent need for robust cybersecurity solutions.
Rising Cyberattacks
In 2024, one in three hospitals experienced cyberattacks, with tens of millions of patient records compromised.
Impact on Patient Care
77% of healthcare organizations reported disruptions to patient care due to cyber incidents, including delays in treatment and increased mortality rates.
Escalating Costs
The average cost of a healthcare data breach reached $11 million in 2023, reflecting the growing complexity of these attacks.
Targeted Medical Devices
Attacks on connected medical devices and systems threaten life-saving operations and patient outcomes.
Cyberattacks on healthcare systems threaten more than operations—they endanger lives. From disrupting critical medical devices to exposing patient records, these threats require advanced solutions to safeguard healthcare providers, patients, and critical systems.
The Invisinet Solution to Healthcare Cybersecurity
Zero Trust Approach
Limits access to critical systems to pre-authorized users, reducing risks with multi-factor authentication and strict identity verification.
Cloaking Key Systems
Hides IT and OT systems, including SCADA, from attackers, preventing reconnaissance and unauthorized access.
Maximizing ZTNA Investments
Enhances real-time network auditing and reduces false positives on Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) with smarter anomaly detection.
Regulatory Assurance
Supports compliance with healthcare-specific cybersecurity regulations, providing cost-effective solutions that mitigate non-compliance risks.
Seamless IT/OT Integration
Bridges IT and OT layers for comprehensive, low-latency security, ensuring uninterrupted patient care and operational efficiency.
Ransomware Attack on Universal Health Services (UHS) Targeting OT Systems (2020)
Universal Health Services (UHS), one of the largest healthcare providers in the U.S., was attacked by the Ryuk ransomware in September 2020. While the attack primarily affected IT systems, there were also impacts on OT systems that manage critical infrastructure like HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), medical devices, and building access controls.
Impact
IT and OT systems were down for several days across over 400 UHS facilities in the U.S. and UK.
Medical devices connected to the network, including those used for diagnostic and treatment purposes, were rendered inoperable.
Patients had to be diverted, and hospital operations were significantly impacted, including the ability to access electronic health records (EHRs) and use connected diagnostic tools.
The total cost of the attack was estimated to be over $67 million.
Government Response/Regulation
HHS and ASPR Guidance
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through its Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), issued updated guidelines for the healthcare sector. These guidelines emphasized the need for robust cybersecurity practices, including network segmentation to separate IT and OT systems, thus preventing ransomware from propagating across different domains.
CISA Collaboration
CISA partnered with HHS and the FBI to release advisories specific to healthcare facilities, outlining best practices such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), securing remote access points, and enhancing monitoring systems to detect threats early.
Federal Initiatives for Enhanced Security Standards
The Biden administration proposed initiatives to align healthcare cybersecurity standards with those used in other critical sectors like defense. These measures aim to establish stricter compliance frameworks similar to HIPAA but specifically focused on cybersecurity and infrastructure protection.
Potential Cybersecurity Certification Models
Inspired by the Department of Defense’s cybersecurity protocols for contractors, there are ongoing efforts to introduce similar certification models in healthcare. These would mandate compliance and accountability for healthcare systems to ensure they meet rigorous security standards.
Lessons Learned
Network segmentation between IT and OT systems is crucial to prevent ransomware from spreading across both domains.
Healthcare organizations need to regularly update and patch medical devices and other OT systems to minimize vulnerabilities.
Ransomware attacks can cause significant damage by disrupting not only IT systems but also connected OT and IIoT systems critical to patient care.
The Invisinet Solution
How Invisinet Keeps Healthcare Secure
Invisinet empowers healthcare organizations with advanced cybersecurity solutions to secure critical systems, protect patient care, and ensure compliance with stringent regulations.
First Packet Authentication™ (FPA)
Verifies communication at the network’s entry point, blocking unauthorized access and ransomware before it can infiltrate systems.
Secure Cloaking
Hides OT systems like HVAC and medical devices, making them invisible to attackers and preventing targeting or disruption.
Micro-Segmentation
Isolates IT and OT networks into secure zones, stopping the spread of threats and containing ransomware.
Continuous Monitoring
Detects anomalies early, allowing for swift mitigation to minimize damage and ensure patient safety.
Regulatory Assurance
Supports compliance with evolving cybersecurity standards, reducing risks and enhancing preparedness.
The Outcome with Invisinet in Place
Prevent Unauthorized Access
First Packet Authentication™ (FPA) blocks ransomware and unauthorized access at the network’s entry point.
Secure Critical Medical Devices
Secure Cloaking protects OT systems and devices, ensuring uninterrupted operation of essential medical tools.
Stop Lateral Movement
Identity-Based Micro-Segmentation contains threats by isolating IT and OT systems, minimizing operational impact.
Invisinet Is Here To Redefine Healthcare Network Security
Invisinet is included as an emerging solution in the Gartner® August 2024 Market Guide for Medical Device Risk. Turn your healthcare network from vulnerable to strong, from confusing to clear.
Proactively protect your healthcare systems with Invisinet’s advanced Zero Trust solutions, safeguarding patient safety and critical operations against the escalating threat landscape.