As the target of ransomware and other types of cyberattacks, healthcare organizations need to follow a cybersecurity framework that prevents breaches and the resulting loss of patient data. A Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) is a set of guidelines and written policies for data governance, risk assessment protocols, and procedures that serve to mitigate organizational cybersecurity risks.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework recommends a cycle of identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover that can be achieved using the right security tools.
Here’s an overview of the parts of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and the solutions that can help your healthcare organization align with it.
Identify
Identifying assets that must be kept secure and the risks that threaten them is the first step in preventing an attack. If threats can be identified, they can be stopped before the patient information stored in electronic health records (EHRs) is stolen or compromised.
Achieving greater network visibility enables your healthcare organization to identify more risks. Information about the nature of a threat and its root cause can help prevent a similar attack from happening in the future.
Protect
Data protection is a crucial part of a cybersecurity framework. Your healthcare organization must be capable of protecting patient data, as well as the applications needed to analyze and process information.
A basic 3-2-1 backup rule involves:
- Creating three backup copies of your critical data
- Storing backups in two different backup locations
- Using one location that is geographically separated from your production data
Other tools that help with network and device protection are multi-factor authentication (MFA) for access control, next-generation firewall (NGFW), and network segmentation.
Detect
Before your healthcare organization can defend itself against an attack, you must detect threats. Suspicious and anomalous network traffic are usually signs of an impending attack.
Extended Detection and Response (XDR) is the next generation of endpoint detection security that works across networks, cloud-hosted apps, and endpoints such as laptops, workstations, and tablets. XDR provides the extended visibility and analysis needed to detect threats.
Respond
Once your organization detects a threat, you must be capable of responding. Healthcare providers should have a plan in place for how to keep operations running after an attack.
A response plan involves investigating and containing an attack before it can spread. Carrying out a response prevents the threat from causing damage, such as stealing data or shutting down systems.
Incident response management can analyze an incident and automate a correct response. XDR combines detection and response security for a proactive approach to security.
Recover
Recovering from a cybersecurity attack requires the restoration of critical assets, such as network components and patient data.
Backup and disaster recovery will enable your organization to bounce back from a cyberattack. Ideally, backups should be stored off-site in case on-site backup files are deleted or destroyed.
Any backup and disaster recovery plan should be tested regularly and should meet Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO) goals.
Building Your Cybersecurity Framework
Making your security strategy align with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework can be a big undertaking. Working with a technology partner that has experience with healthcare providers ensures you get the guidance you need to uncover gaps in your framework and find the right solutions to support them.
Derive Technologies has been serving many healthcare providers in the Tri-State area for over 20 years through our dedicated healthcare practice. We understand how to help your organization choose and implement the right security tools to realize a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.
As a Cisco Premier Certified Partner, we have the certified expertise needed to leverage leading network security solutions for your needs.
To find out more about how to build a cybersecurity framework, request a free security assessment from Derive Technologies.
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