Future of healthcare cybersecurity: Key strategies for 2023 and beyond

Team Udayavani, May 28, 2023, 10:42 AM IST

The digitalization of the healthcare industry has brought cybersecurity to the forefront of the conversation. Our cybersecurity infrastructure must meet international standards and has improved periodically to prevent hacker intrusions and system compromise.

Increasing digitalization has led to increased cyberattacks and infiltration attempts, with the nation experiencing approximately 14 lakh cybersecurity incidents in 2022 alone, according to the Ministry of State for Electronics and Information Technology data.

To realize the goals of digitalization and transition to a paperless economy, we must improve our cybersecurity procedures and infrastructure to the point where Indian residents feel confident about their personal information. It is imperative for Indian institutions and businesses to adopt best practices in healthcare cybersecurity to secure the future.

Closing the skills gap

Recent market research has revealed that the cybersecurity sector is currently facing a severe skills shortage, with an increasing demand for cybersecurity services. One possible cause of this shortage could be the lack of curriculum in college programs, which discourages fresh prospects from entering the sector.

In order to bridge this gap, it is imperative to take action to upgrade the educational system and ensure that professionals are given regular opportunities to upskill.

Special emphasis must be placed on several critical areas, such as network security management, virtual machine management, and other relevant skills that are currently in demand in the industry. Upskilling opportunities would also help to expand the talent pool in the sector and cater to a wider audience of prospects seeking lucrative careers.

Cybersecurity for Digitalization

The protection and security of patient data should be one of the cybersecurity industry’s main priorities in 2023 because it is one of the types of information that cybercriminals target most frequently.

Ransomware is one of the most often utilized tactics by thieves to penetrate a system. Since the epidemic, ransomware assaults have dramatically increased, growing by 105% in 2021. But the sector needs to be ready for other tools and attack methods that hackers may use.

These attacks can take the form of BEC, phishing, or DDoS when the attacker has the power to bring the victim’s server offline. Therefore, it is crucial that businesses keep their workers informed and ready for any new dangers.

The Outsourcing Advantage

Small-scale organizations face significant obstacles when it comes to implementing cybersecurity measures, primarily due to a lack of resources. Cybersecurity programs require continuous maintenance and upgrading, which demands a team of knowledgeable individuals to keep the systems running at optimal levels.

For many companies, dedicating that much money to one department is impractical. To address this issue, specific administrative actions are necessary to assist these organizations in locating top-notch cybersecurity services.

Outsourcing cybersecurity is an advantageous solution as it is substantially more affordable and enables companies to pool resources to pay for the services. The government’s recent investment of over 600 crores to develop the nation’s cybersecurity infrastructure is a step in the right direction, as the sector requires support to bolster its operations and expand its horizons. Initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat Yojana have also significantly contributed to promoting digital techniques in the healthcare industry.

Although the cybersecurity industry has made significant progress in a short period, there is still much work to be done to achieve the ultimate goal of digitizing the healthcare industry, and cybersecurity is a critical component of this effort. Building consumer trust and establishing credibility is essential, and a robust and secure cybersecurity network serves as evidence of a highly skilled workforce and provides consumers with assurance that their information is being protected at all times.