Imagine a hospital where doctors can’t access medical records because ransomware has encrypted their systems. Or worse: medical devices such as pacemakers or insulin pumps are remotely manipulated by cybercriminals. It sounds like a horror movie, but it’s a growing reality.
Healthcare cybersecurity is no longer an IT issue: it’s a matter of life and death. This article will explore the risks of disregarding healthcare cybersecurity and how an offensive security platform can be your best defense.
The 3 risks that every healthcare institution should be aware of
1. Theft of patient data: More valuable than gold
According to Trustwave, medical records, genetic data, and insurance records are sold on the dark web for up to $1,000 each. This is because they contain immutable information (such as social security numbers) useful for long-term fraud.
How do we handle it?
- Bug Bounty Programs: We encourage our community of expert ethical hackers to search for bugs in your data storage and transmission systems.
- Proactive encryption: We verify that information is protected at rest and in transit, even in integrations with third parties.
2. Attacks on IoT medical devices: A silent risk.
Pacemakers, vital sign monitors, and attached insulin pumps are easy targets if not secured. 53% of medical devices have critical unpatched vulnerabilities (Cynerio).
How do we handle it?
- Penetration testing (PTaaS): We simulate attacks on medical software to identify open ports, weak credentials, or outdated firmware.
- Network segmentation: We advise you to isolate IoT devices in separate networks to limit the lateral movement of attackers.
Also read: Pentest On Demand: Optimize your cybersecurity strategy
3. Ransomware that paralyzes medical care.
Downtime is not just a loss of money: it is a risk to lives.
How do we handle it?
- Continuous pentests: We evaluate your defenses against ransomware techniques such as double extortion (theft + data encryption).
- Fast response: Our ethical hacker community prioritizes findings, so you fix vulnerabilities in hours, not weeks.
Benefits of a health security platform
Stress-free regulatory compliance
- We generate audit-ready reports aligned with HIPAA, GDPR, and local laws.
- We identify gaps in access controls, encryption, or data retention policies.
Reputation protection
- You avoid negative headlines and loss of patient confidence.
- Demonstrate proactivity with insurers and business partners.
Cost savings
- Fixing a vulnerability costs 100 times less than remediating a breach (IBM).
- You avoid millions of dollars in fines for non-compliance.
You may be interested in: How to improve your company’s cybersecurity with CyScope
Conclusion: Cybersecurity in healthcare is as vital as an accurate diagnosis
In a world where a cyberattack can shut down operating rooms or leak sensitive data, security is life insurance for your institution. CyScope identifies risks and turns protection into an agile, collaborative process, backed by hundreds of experts who think like attackers.
Are you ready to find out how to armor your healthcare institution? Schedule a free demo and learn how more than 450 ethical hackers can help you protect lives and data.
