Earlier this month, the Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) issued a grave warning about the security implications of emerging technology in the healthcare sector. The report makes it clear that new technologies such as AI, 5G networks, nanomedicine, smart hospitals, and quantum computing are helping providers to improve health outcomes and lower costs. It also makes it crystal clear that there is a flip side to that coin.

For the purposes of this blog post, we’ll take a look at the first concern outlined by HC3; artificial intelligence. No one can deny the value that AI brings providers: deeper patient insights and faster and more accurate decision-making that contributes to better health outcomes and improved efficiency, just to name a few.

But the number one requirement for effective artificial intelligence, as spelled out by the report, is that it “requires the gathering of very large collections of data in order to learn.” And to optimize patient outcomes, practitioners need to have unfettered access to that data, which can inform better decisions. This can be a tricky combination when it comes to data security. Any time you combine massive data sets with a need for non-technical user access, you’re creating an environment that is rife with risks.

Healthcare information is among the most sensitive personal data, making it a very attractive target for malicious actors, who can use it for a wide range of nefarious purposes, including insurance fraud, identity theft, or even blackmail. We already know insider threats pose an increasing risk to healthcare organizations. Nearly 50% of breaches in the sector are attributed to internal threat actors, and one study found that nearly 20% of sensitive files are open to every employee in healthcare organizations.

All these contributing factors have created an environment riddled with risk, but that doesn’t mean that healthcare organizations should eschew these important technological advances that allow them to do their jobs better and keep patients healthier. But it does make finding good partners and solutions to help your organization mitigate increasing security risks more important than ever before.

Our team is helping healthcare organizations across the world protect against cyberattacks early by analyzing all activities with data to identify ‘Indicators of Intent,’ long before data exfiltration can occur.

If you’re interested in learning more, please get in touch with our team to see how DTEX InTERCEPT helps to mitigate healthcare security risks by demystifying the context and intent of human behaviors, without violating the trust and privacy of employees.

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*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from DTEX Systems Inc authored by Armaan Mahbod. Read the original post at: