With patient data worth 50x more than credit card information on the dark web, it’s no surprise that protecting confidential patient information is absolutely essential in healthcare to keep patient trust and stay on the right side of data protection laws.
Patient data includes sensitive information such as medical history, test results, and personal details, so strong security measures must be in place to prevent data breaches.
The NHS has faced various cyberattacks over the past few years, only emphasising the need for improved cybersecurity measures for healthcare businesses as threats continue to become more intelligent and targeted.
This article explains how healthcare security leaders can protect patient data, outlining best practices and essential security measures.
Understanding Health Data at Risk
To understand health data security, it’s best first to know what the term actually refers to.
- Health data refers to any information related to an individual’s physical or mental health, including medical records, test results, and treatment plans.
- Patient records are a critical component of health data, and they must be effectively protected against improper access and disclosure for both the protection of the patient and the healthcare organisation.
- Healthcare professionals must understand the importance of maintaining patient confidentiality and adhering to data protection legislation.
- The use of anonymous data and de-identified data can support health research and public health surveillance while maintaining patient confidentiality. However, it is confidential patient information that holds a greater value to hackers.
Data Protection Legislations
As a healthcare provider, you will encounter a range of data protection laws and legislations, the most common being the UK Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) ****and the Caldicott Principles. Both of these regulatory frameworks mandate that confidential patient information be dealt with lawfully, fairly, and transparently.
Penetration testing provides a huge support in ensuring the safe transfer and storage of patient data; businesses risk hefty fines and legal repercussions if proper security measures are not implemented to ensure this.
Why is Healthcare Data so Valuable to Hackers?
Healthcare data is incredibly valuable to hackers. Think of it this way: if malicious hackers can spend the same amount of time, effort, and criminal risk going after lower-value personal data such as bank card information, they may as well invest this energy into a larger payout on the dark web.
Health records themselves are so appealing because of the longevity of their value. Details like National Insurance numbers, patient name and date of birth, prescription records, address history, and GP practice information can all be used to build entire false identities.
To put it simply, you can cancel a credit card that has been involved in fraud, but you can’t cancel your entire identity if hackers happen to infiltrate and exploit your patient data.
This poses patient data as highly attractive, in turn putting NHS trusts and healthcare organisations at high-risk.
That’s why it’s so critical that cybersecurity is taken seriously by care providers. Through the in-depth simulation of real cyberattacks, pentesting helps spot weak points before hackers do, making it a crucial part of any healthcare data protection plan.
Given these risks, it’s important to understand the types of breaches healthcare organisations face.
Common Data Breaches in Healthcare Organisations
Pentesting is essential as it helps to tackle common data breaches that many healthcare businesses suffer. Some of these threats include:
- Ransomware attacks can lock access to medical records, forcing healthcare staff to resort to manual processes that increase the risk of clinical errors, improper practices, and delays in patient care. This, in turn, risks patient safety, often pressuring trusts into paying the ransom in order to continue to deliver direct care.
- Hacking and IT incidents account for over 80% of data breaches in healthcare, often involving ransomware or phishing scams designed to steal login credentials and NHS data.
- Unauthorised internal disclosure happens when employees mishandle data, either accidentally sharing or improperly accessing patient records.
- Phishing attacks use fraudulent emails to trick staff into revealing passwords or installing malicious software. Once inside a staff member’s account, hackers can extract personal information from care organisations, causing serious harm.
- Data breaches can also occur through business associates or third-party vendors who have access to confidential patient information. You can learn more about the risk that third-party vendors and other organisations pose to your supply chain in our blog, “What is a Supply Chain Attack and How Can I Prevent Them?“
Data Security Measures in Healthcare
With patient records posing such high value, data security measures must be taken seriously in healthcare. Here are some foundational security controls for healthcare organisations of any size, and why they are so critical in enforcing data protection:
Here’s a concise table of essential security controls for healthcare organisations:
| Security Control | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Access controls, encryption, and audit trails | Ensures only authorised personnel can view patient records and creates accountability for who accesses sensitive data and safe data sharing, as required by the Data Protection Act. |
| Secure mobile device and memory stick policies | Prevents data breaches from lost or stolen devices containing patient information. Staff training ensures proper handling of portable data storage. |
| Role-based access controls (RBAC) | Limits access to patient data based on job function, preventing improper disclosure and ensuring NHS organisations meet confidentiality requirements. |
| Subject access request procedures | Ensures compliance with ICO guidance when patients request their records, particularly when information involves multiple individuals. |
| Regular penetration testing | Identifies security vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them, protecting patient data from cyber threats and demonstrating due diligence to regulators. |
| Vulnerability scanning and threat intelligence | Provides continuous monitoring for weaknesses and emerging threats specific to healthcare, enabling proactive defence against attack methods targeting patient records. |
| Multi-Factor Authentication | Multi-factor authentication ensures only authorised health professionals can access electronic health records. |
Protect Patients from Data Theft with OnSecurity’s Pentesting Services
Penetration testing remains one of the most effective information security strategies for healthcare organisations seeking to identify threats and protect patient information proactively.
With OnSecurity’s consultative pentesting platform, healthcare providers can book tests directly through our platform or get personalised assistance from our sales team.
Enjoy streamlined communication and automated workflow notifications for maximum efficiency. Get an instant, free quote today.
