Focus on the human element of how data is being generated and shared. In many cases, hackers take advantage of simple human errors. Take, for example, the number of times we’ve seen major data breaches occur when someone in the chain opens a suspicious email or downloads an unverified app.
We leave digital footprints everywhere and it’s crucial that healthcare organizations take the time to educate their staff, patients, vendors and partners on the best way to protect us all.
Develop a response plan and be proactive by putting measures in place now, rather than waiting for an attack to occur. This will make a tremendous difference in the scale and impact that an intrusion will have on you and your entire ecosystem.
Every healthcare organization should establish a cybersecurity task force to assess or put into place the processes, people and tools needed for data protection. A major key to the success of this group will be the ability to identify and isolate attacks, as well as understand security requirements as they change. You must always remain vigilant.
One of the things that we are most proud of at Canon Medical Systems is the fact that we’re always pushing ourselves to evolve in parallel with society and the technology around us, while understanding the associated risks. As connectivity, digital health solutions and the sophistication and frequency of cyberattacks grow, I hope you will take time to evaluate your vulnerabilities and address them.
Tim Peeler is the vice president of Service at Canon Medical Systems USA Inc.Back to HCB News
