In this digital age, cyber-attacks have become all too common. Even though businesses in every industry are at risk, the healthcare sector is especially vulnerable. For instance, a recent study found that more than 75 percent of healthcare organizations have experienced a data breach in the past two years. This puts patients’ sensitive information – and their safety – at risk. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of the cyber security risks they face and take steps to protect their networks and data.
Here are some critical cyber security statistics to keep in mind:
1. The average cost of a healthcare data breach is $5.5 million.
2. Healthcare data breaches are becoming more common, with the number of incidents increasing by 125 percent between 2017 and 2018.
3. One in 13 patient records is exposed in a data breach.
4. Email phishing is the most common type of cyber-attack in healthcare, accounting for 43 percent of all attacks.
5. The healthcare industry is the most targeted by ransomware attacks, with nearly 50 percent of all ransomware attacks occurring in healthcare.
6. Healthcare organizations are three times more likely to be hit with a malware attack than other industries.
7. One in three healthcare organizations has experienced a crypto mining attack.
8. The average time to detect a breach in healthcare is 205 days.
9. The average time to resolve a breach in healthcare is 36 days.
10. Sixty percent of small and medium businesses (SMBs) hit with a cyber-attack go out of business within six months.
Since cyber-attacks against healthcare organizations continue to rise, it is more important than ever for healthcare professionals to be proactive about cyber security. Therefore, understanding the risks and taking steps to protect their networks and data can help keep their patients safe from harm.
Make sure you have done everything you can to protect your organization against a cyber-attack. This checklist will help you assess your organization’s cyber security preparedness and identify areas where you may need to improve. Medical ITG can help you secure your network and keep your data safe. Contact us today for more information about our managed IT services for healthcare providers.
