The Next Wave of Healthcare IT Threats (And How to Get Ahead of Them)
- Allison Landolina
- Mar 6
- 4 min read
Healthcare continues to be one of the most commonly targeted industries when it comes to cyberattacks.
Elements such as sensitive patient data, legacy systems, complex vendor ecosystems, and limited internal IT resources make the healthcare industry uniquely vulnerable. Similarly, members of the healthcare industry have a unique responsibility to make cybersecurity a priority in order to protect their patients. And unfortunately, the next wave of threats is more sophisticated, automated, and difficult to detect.
In this blog, we'll break down these potential new threats and provide tips on how to get ahead of them.
Threat #1: AI-Powered Phishing and Social Engineering
With the evolution of technology comes the increased sophistication of things like phishing scams. Due to AI, phishing emails and calls may not be as easy to spot as they once were. Unfortunately, these threats are becoming increasingly more hyper-personalized. These days, a phishing email might contain information about the recipient they might not anticipate a scammer to know. Additionally, AI generated voice spoofing can make it seem as though calls are coming from a real human - maybe even someone you know. It isn't uncommon for vendors or executives to be impersonated in these calls or emails.
Why is Healthcare Especially Vulnerable?
The healthcare industry might be especially vulnerable to these types of risks due to:
Front desk handling an extremely high volume of calls/emails
Financial staff processing insurance and vendor payments
Clinical staff having to be focused on patients, not cybersecurity
How to Get Ahead:
Luckily, there are ways to get ahead of these advanced scams. Companies that are a part of the healthcare industry might want to consider implementing:
Ongoing phishing simulations to educate employees on how to identify and deal with phishing emails
Multi-factor authentication for any software that will allow it
Email security with advanced threat detection
Consistent staff security awareness training
Threat #2: More Sophisticated Ransomware
Ransomware has also been evolving over time. Traditional ransomware consists of hackers breaking into your network; encrypting servers, files, and backups; locking you out of your systems; and demanding payment for a decryption key. With the more advanced ransomware we're seeing now, hackers will also quietly copy sensitive data and threaten to publish or sell it if you don't pay. Even if you're able to restore systems from backups, you still face public data exposure.
For healthcare organizations this can be especially disruptive. Leaked patient information can cause HIPAA reporting requirements, regulatory fines, and reputational damage.
This threat is heightened for healthcare organizations, as hackers are aware that they are more likely to pay to avoid this public exposure.
How to Get Ahead:
Companies should consider implementing:
Immutable backups (a backup that cannot be modified, deleted, or encrypted for a defined period of time)
Network segmentation
24/7 monitoring
Incident response planning
Threat #3: Cloud and SaaS Misconfigurations
Cloud and SaaS (software as a server) misconfigurations are some of the most common and least understood threats of the moment. This encompasses security settings in cloud platforms and applications that are set up incorrectly leaving data exposed even though nothing was technically "hacked".
Common examples of security settings being improperly configured include:
Over-Permissioned Users
Examples include: front desk employees having full admin access, former employees still having active accounts, and shared logins across departments.
No Conditional Access Policies
Without proper policies: anyone can log in from any country, there are no device trust requirements, there are no location restrictions. That means that a singular stolen password can give full access.
Weak MFA Enforcement
Some organizations: enable MFA for admins only, allow SMS based MFA that is easier to bypass, or leave legacy authentication enabled. Attackers will specifically look for these gaps.
Cloud Data Not Backed Up
Many assume that if something is in the cloud, it's automatically backed up. This isn't always the case. Platforms like Microsoft 365 only retain deleted data for limited periods of time. After that, its gone.
Why Healthcare Organizations are at Risk:
Some potential issues might be caused by:
Rapid and rushed migration to cloud during COVID
Default settings never hardened
No dedicated cloud security oversight
Multiple SaaS vendors with no central visibility
How to Get Ahead:
Enforce MFA for all users
Implement conditional access policies
Apply least-privilege permissions
Disable legacy authentication
Deploy cloud security monitoring
Backup SaaS platforms independently
Threat #4: Compliance Fatigue and Regulatory Pressure
Regulations for healthcare organizations are constantly evolving. With increased HIPAA enforcement, data-privacy laws, and cyber insurance security requirements, compliance is becoming more complex than ever. Organizations that are not up to standards can face denied insurance claims and fines or other penalties for non-compliance. Luckily, there's always a way to get ahead.
How to Get Ahead:
Conducting risk assessments
Having documented security policies
Having regular compliance reviews
Ensuring your security stack is aligned with HIPAA requirements
The Big Picture: Healthcare IT is About Resilience, Not Just Protection
The complexity of the healthcare industry requires IT support that is not just reactive, but is proactive. Security and continuity is going to be extremely important in protecting healthcare organizations. The best IT support for healthcare organizations will include factors like:
24/7 monitoring
Rapid response time
Clear communication during incidents
On-site and remote support for clinical environments
If your organization is struggling to stay on top of all of these potential risks, or if you're interested in assessing how strong your current IT infrastructure is, Encompass IT can help.
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