12. Innovative Toolkit to Assess and Mitigate Cyber Threats in the Healthcare Sector

By M. Manso | B. Guerra | G. Doukas | V. Moumtzi

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Published: 17 Sep 2020

© 2020 M. Manso | B. Guerra | G. Doukas | V. Moumtzi

Abstract

Cybersecurity is an increasingly critical aspect of healthcare information technology infrastructure. Nowadays, the rapid digitisation of healthcare delivery, from electronic health records and telehealth (eHealth services) to mobile health (mHealth) and network-enabled medical devices, introduces risks related to cybersecurity vulnerabilities that are particularly worrisome because cyber attacks in a healthcare setting may result in the exposure of highly sensitive personal information, cause disruptions in clinical care or affect the safety of patients, for example, by compromising the integrity of data or impairing medical device functionality. The threat is real and growing in tandem with the pace of the healthcare industry digitisation [1]. Yet, cybersecurity capacities currently remain behind the pressing needs, lagging the robust pace of adoption of digital networks by threat actors. This disconnect places the multitrillion-euro healthcare sector at risk of even more significant cyberattacks. A new generation of cybersecurity tools, specifically designed for the healthcare domain, takes on the challenge of surpassing that disconnect and setting higher standards on cybersecurity for healthcare organisations. The proposed architecture combines a smart and robust security awareness layer, equipped with a wide range of tools that build a personalised data security management platform. The combined use of state-of-the-art technologies to effectively prevent, respond and recover from cyber attacks, while managing to raise awareness and provide timely actionable information is a promising compound for enhancing cybersecurity within the healthcare IT ecosystem.