It’s no longer safe to use only a secured network or to just put your systems behind a firewall. Cybercriminals are constantly searching for loopholes in digital processes where personal — especially healthcare — information is available. When it comes to healthcare information, the vulnerabilities outnumber the safety measures that have been implemented. The cost of healthcare fraud is $68 billion USD every year, which is about 3% of the nation’s entire healthcare spending! Hackers can extort millions from a single data breach, which makes service providers easy targets. Healthcare providers store highly confidential and private patient data, which cannot be protected using passwords alone.
A crucial sore spot that has put healthcare services on the radar of e-criminals is the use of outdated technology in hospitals and other medical institutions. This archaic technology provides a broader surface for cyber attacks. The software that is most widely used has almost no security layers at all. One example that illustrates the magnitude of loss is the over 5 million health records that were breached in August 2021 alone across just 38 incidents. Weak IT networks at medical facilities open doors for all kinds of cyber threats, including malware, viruses, and ransomware attacks.
Though the lack of advanced security solutions is a major deficiency in healthcare risk management systems today, there are some big challenges faced in other areas of healthcare, too. For example, administrative staff at hospitals and clinics are overwhelmed with mismanaged online information, such as health and insurance records and staff information.
Switching to digital identity is no longer a choice – it’s a necessity – especially when the e-healthcare sector is currently undergoing such a highly volatile phase with constant pressure to deliver fast and high-quality services. However, 99% of attacks can be prevented by using biometric multi-factor authentication. To ensure safe and effective patient care, healthcare technology professionals must work towards incorporating these reliable security tools to create a zero-trust security approach.
Biometrics plays an increasingly important role in reducing identity fraud and protecting healthcare data by establishing highly secure, controlled access to medical records. Replace usernames and passwords with Imageware’s biometric MFA, a seamless and more secure way to access your systems. Let Imageware help protect your organization before the end-to-end Biometric Identity Management for Healthcare.