introducing morphisec's 2019 Healthcare cybersecurity threat index

Despite HIPAA regulations designed to keep them informed on the security of their personal health data, patients still seem to be in the dark. That was just one of the findings of Morphisec's new 2019 Consumer Healthcare Cybersecurity Threat Index.

With attackers targeting the healthcare industry at more than double the rate across other sectors, and cyber threat actors such as FIN6 now entering the healthcare cybercrime racket, Morphisec commissioned a survey of more than 1,000 consumers to get their perspective and understanding of the threatscape surrounding the healthcare industry. Combined with our own industry cyber threat intelligence, a picture emerges of consumers and providers fully embracing digitization, with cyber defenses and awareness lagging far behind.

Here is a sneak peak at a few of the most compelling takeaways from the report:

• 54% of consumers say “they don’t know if a cyberattack has hit their healthcare providers,” despite HIPAA laws requiring providers to notify patients when their information has been compromised.

• Healthcare portal use by consumers has increased to 42% this year from 28% in 2018, increasing the need for providers to protect internet-facing websites, which hackers are actively targeting.

• 45% of consumers say they believe that their health information is more secure on their personal electronic devices (iPhone, laptop, etc.) than on their providers' devices.
• Over 50% of consumers say they play a role alongside their provider in protecting shared health information, but nearly 80% admit they are not prepared to handle threats to health data on their own.
• Consumers believe web (24%) and endpoint defenses (21%) are providers’ weakest links in protecting their data.

Get the full  Healthcare Cybersecurity Threat Handbook