Alka Jain
The Indian healthcare sector has been experiencing an increase in cyberattacks over the past couple of years. The most recent incidents are Sun Pharmaceuticals' attack by the ALPHV Ransomware Group, AIIMS cyber-attack, and Safdarjung Hospital's hacking attack, putting the spotlight on the need for stronger cybersecurity infrastructure in the healthcare industry.
The healthcare industry in India has faced 1.9 million cyberattacks in 2022 till November 28, as per data published by cybersecurity think tank CyberPeace Foundation and Autobot Infosec Private Ltd.
These attacks result in sensitive data leaks, significant financial losses, disruption of operations, and damage to the hospital's goodwill. Hence, it is crucial for healthcare organizations to make an investment in robust cybersecurity measures. Here's what experts say in this regard,
1) Sanjay Kaushik, Managing Director, Netrika Consulting Pvt Ltd said that India's healthcare system has been growing rapidly in recent years with increased digitization and adoption of new technologies, however, it has also brought with it new challenges in cybersecurity.
“An increase in the cyberattacks in healthcare system highlights the urgent need for a robust cybersecurity infrastructure which is essential for protecting sensitive patient information, preventing data breaches and cyber attacks, and ensuring the smooth functioning of healthcare operations," he said.
“To build a robust cybersecurity infrastructure in healthcare, India must prioritize investments in cybersecurity training, technology, and policies. Healthcare providers and organizations must also take proactive steps to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities, regularly update their security protocols, and collaborate with government agencies and industry experts to stay ahead of evolving threats," Kaushik stated.
2) Vibin Theril, Associate Vice President, Growth Advisory, Aranca said that India ranks fourth globally in terms of the number of attacks on healthcare organizations, citing a 2021 report by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.
“India needs to strengthen its cybersecurity infrastructure in healthcare to address these threats. This includes investing in cybersecurity training for healthcare professionals, implementing robust security protocols, and adopting new technologies such as AI and machine learning to detect and prevent cyber threats," he added.
3) Ratan Dargan, CO-founder and CTO, ThoughtSol Infotech stated that India's health sector should implement access control mechanisms to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive data.
“Encrypt all sensitive data in transit and at rest to prevent unauthorized access and ensure data confidentiality implement multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of identity theft and ensure secure access to systems, and deploy firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor network traffic and detect any unauthorized access attempts," ThoughtSol Infotech suggested.
4) Bhaskar Ganguli, Director, Marketing and Sales, Mass Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd recommended that the robust cybersecurity infrastructure must be built on solid policies and procedures, regular security assessments and audits, and continuous staff training and education.
5) Nasir Shaikh, Group CEO, The Lexicon Group asserted that the cyberattacks have the potential to cause significant financial losses, business interruptions, and reputational harm.
“It is important for healthcare organizations in India to implement robust cybersecurity measures, including end-to-end encryption of patient data, regular software updates, and employee training on the best cybersecurity practices," Shaikh said.
“India has taken steps towards improving cybersecurity in healthcare, such as launching the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) to create a digital infrastructure for healthcare services. However, there is still much work to be done to ensure that healthcare systems in India are adequately protected against cyber threats," he added.
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