Cybersecurity in Life Sciences and Healthcare – Protecting the Digital Lifeline

With an intricate and hyper-connected world in which we live, Life Sciences and Healthcare (LSH) organizations are digitally transforming themselves with incredible speed and rapid growth. From electronic health records (EHRs) to connected medical devices, AI-enabled diagnostics, and digital therapeutics, technology is transforming how care is delivered. This digital transformation means organizations must now also take on the responsibility of protecting sensitive health data and ensuring that their complex healthcare systems remain operational and unharmed from an increasing number of cyber threats.

The Stakes are Higher in Healthcare

In any other sector, cybersecurity is primarily about protecting data for future use. In LSH, protecting lives is also at stake. Cyberattacks on health systems can postpone diagnoses, disrupt treatments, or compromise critical infrastructure, leading to direct harm to patients’ safety and outcomes. In addition, there are more risk factors associated with the LSH industry possibly due to the sheer size of vast volumes of data, reliance on legacy systems, and limited resources.

Key Cybersecurity Challenges in the LSH Industry

• PHI and Data Privacy
  Healthcare organizations maintain vast amounts of personally identifiable and protected health information (PHI), which makes them enticing targets. Compliance with HIPAA, GDPR and local health regulation is essential but compliance can vary significantly across geographies.
• Ransomware and Nation-State Attacks
  Hospitals and other research labs have become regular targets for ransomware attacks, and companies are often forced to pay substantial ransom amounts under threat of halting operations or releasing sensitive information. Some attacks have been attributed to actual and suspected nation-state actors who are targeting vaccine development research and pharmaceutical Intellectual Property.
• Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
  Connected medical devices, such as thousands of insulin pumps, cardiac monitors, imaging systems, etc., are enabling better care for patients, but most connected devices are designed without adequate security, insufficient update capabilities, and lack visibility within the overarching IT infrastructure.
• Research and IP Theft
  Biotech firms and pharmaceutical companies developing new and game changing research are not only facing increasingly sophisticated cyber threats but are also facing theft of their work from industrial espionage and bad actors targeting the cyber theft of proprietary data or trying to trip up the research and development process.
• Decentralized Workforces and Telemedicine
  The rapidly expanding use of remote care, telemedicine and mobile health apps creates an extremely broad attack surface and new security challenges which are incompatible with traditional perimeter-based security models.

Key Cybersecurity Strategies for the LSH Industry

• Zero Trust Security: This approach is particularly important in healthcare, where many different people (clinicians, contractors, researchers, etc.) access sensitive systems. By verifying continuously and allowing least-privilege access, players can minimize the damage from breaches.
• Security by Design in MedTech: Manufacturers of medical devices must take the approach to have security built into the device from the very beginning so that devices are compliant with safety and cybersecurity requirements before they hit the market.
• Advanced Threat Intelligence: Cybersecurity technologies driven by AI and ML can help detect advanced persistent threats, relate anomalies across systems, and automate responses to certain types of incidents in real time.
• Strong Data Encryption and Access Controls: Encryption must be used for all data that is sensitive, including data where it lives, how or if it is in transit, and when it is processed. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and strong identity management and access controls prevent unauthorized access.
• Incident Response and Business Continuity: Incident response plans need to be developed and routinely tested, so organizations know how to respond to a breach, and minimize impact on patient care.

Developing a Culture of Cyber Hygiene

Trust is the foundation of the health sector, and sustaining cybersecurity is more than simply applying cybersecurity tools; it is about developing a culture of cybersecurity. This approach involves formal and regular training, buy-in from executives, vetting of vendors, and engaging with public and private sector organizations from across the cybersecurity landscape.

Looking Ahead

As innovation in digital health grows, so too will cyber risks. Cybersecurity is a large, broad, and complex issue that Life Sciences and Healthcare organizations must prioritize and incorporate into their care delivery and scientific advancement activities. A proactively actioned, strategically aligned, and resilient cyber posture will not only secure their systems and their data, but also secure the trust of their patients, and the regulatory agencies in many cases, and ultimately—their patients’ lives.\

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