MN502 - Security Challenges in Healthcare Networks - Sept 2018

This report provides an overview of network security challenges in emerging healthcare networks, focusing on the healthcare industry. It highlights the risks and vulnerabilities inherent in healthcare network architecture, emphasizing the need for effective risk mitigation strategies implemented by dedicated IT teams. Common attacks like Spanning Tree Control attacks and ARP spoofing are mentioned, along with the importance of using business intelligence, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing to enhance security and protect sensitive data. The report underscores that security is a primary business objective in healthcare, essential for maintaining stakeholder trust and satisfaction. It addresses specific security issues such as WannaCry ransomware, phishing emails, and insider threats, suggesting mitigation techniques like ad blockers and regular software updates. The report references academic sources to support its claims about network security vulnerabilities and cybersecurity trends in healthcare.

Overview of Network Security
Security Challenges in Emerging Networks

• The network architecture in a healthcare industry is prone to different kinds of risks and
vulnerabilities which needs to be taken off with the help of effective risk mitigation
strategies which are adopted by the management teams of the hospital authorities.
• Dedicated and experienced IT teams should be implementing the network security
strategies to cope with the existing and future challenges considering the healthcare
network.
• The most common attacks on network architecture are the Spanning tree control attacks
and ARP spoofing. Use of business intelligence and artificial intelligence should be practised
due to their enhanced effectiveness.
• Cloud computing technology should be adopted in order to secure the sensitive data from
fragmentation attacks.
Healthcare network architecture and developments

Security is the foremost business objective of any healthcare industry
and it is very much essential to ensure security of all the internal and
external stakeholders of a healthcare industry so that the desired
business objectives are met [1]. Like every other business processes,
customer behaviour and client satisfaction can be maintained in this
industry also with the help of effective risk mitigating strategies.
Advanced technologies should be incorporated into the hospital
facilities to promote all-round security to each of the stakeholders.
Importance of security in healthcare networks

Most of the healthcare industries faces severe threats from
the cyber crimes such as the Wanna Cry Ransomeware,
phishing emails and threats coming from the insiders. All
these issues have the capability to damage the reputation
of any healthcare industry and may lead to severe financial
and reputational loss. These losses can be effectively
minimised with the use of specific risk mitigation
techniques such as the use of the ad blockers in the
sensitive computer systems and regularly updating the
versions of the operating systems and inbuilt firewalls as
they provide a minimal resistance from the external
threats[2]. The attachments of the emails should be
properly scanned before downloading it into the system as
it will be helpful in preventing the cyber security issues to a
huge extent
Security issues in Healthcare Networks

Reference
1. Namoglu, Nihan, and Yekta Ulgen. "Network security
vulnerabilities and personal privacy issues in healthcare
information systems: A case study in a private
hospital." Biomedical Engineering Meeting (BIYOMUT), 2014
18th National. IEEE, 2014.
2. Kruse, Clemens Scott, et al. "Cybersecurity in healthcare: A
systematic review of modern threats and trends." Technology
and Health Care 25.1 (2017): 1-10.