Healthcare Cybersecurity in Peril: Third-Party Risks and Asset Mismanagement Exposed

Healthcare Cybersecurity in Peril: Third-Party Risks and Asset Mismanagement Exposed

• Healthcare sector targeted: Rising cyber threats put patient data at risk.
• Weakest links: third-party vendors and asset mismanagement: These were the main weaknesses a recent study identified.
• New trends: Growing vendor-related threats are prompting calls for stricter policies.
• Call for action: Security specialists want stronger vendor management and better security basics.

Where healthcare is exposed

Health care is one of the most targeted industries. Recent findings point to two weak spots: third-party risk and asset management. As hospitals connect to more vendors and devices, those gaps threaten privacy, patient safety and the trust that patients place in their providers every time they hand over personal information.

The study’s findings on third-party risk

A recent study, highlighted by Fierce Healthcare, shows how much risk third-party vendors bring to health care. Vendors often handle patient data with little oversight. Many fall short on security. That makes them a way in for attackers, and weak vendor management at many providers makes it worse.

Asset management gaps

The study also found weaknesses in asset management. Many healthcare organizations do not keep an accurate inventory of their devices and systems. You can’t protect what you don’t know you have. Unknown or unmanaged assets become easy entry points and slow down response when something goes wrong.

Rising threats from vendors

Threats rose across health care in the study, with vendors a leading concern. Each new vendor is one more connection to watch.

What security specialists recommend

Hold vendors to strict security requirements as a condition of doing business, security specialists say, and raise internal standards as new technology arrives. Audits, updates and training cover the rest.

What to watch

Watch whether providers tighten vendor contracts and invest in asset inventories, and whether regulators push harder on third-party risk.

Patient safety depends on it.

John King, CISSP, PMP, CISM

John King currently works in the greater Los Angeles area as a ISSO (Information Systems Security Officer). John has a passion for learning and developing his cyber security skills through education, hands on work, and studying for IT certifications.