By Dave Sasson
As the pandemic wanes, healthcare companies are increasing their software spending. 45% of healthcare providers have increased software investment, with only 10% decreasing it. This is partly due to companies feeling more certain about the future – and therefore more willing to invest in innovation. But it’s also due to a need to overcome emerging obstacles – particularly in security.
Cybersecurity is a challenge for all organizations as they move through digital transformations and adopt new technology. But for healthcare, cybersecurity can be particularly tricky: healthcare organizations need to balance compliance, privacy, and regulatory requirements while trying to get the most out of innovation and technological advancements in patient care and productivity.
Additionally, security vulnerabilities are increasing, with cybercriminals taking advantage of the new access points that have become available throughout the pandemic. Between 2018 and 2021, data breaches impacting over 500 medical records have nearly doubled. And according to IBM, the average cost of fixing a data breach has risen by 40% since 2020.
It’s no wonder that cybersecurity is at the forefront of healthcare providers’ IT initiatives.
To respond to cyber threats with agility while maintaining predictable operating costs, healthcare organizations are turning to cloud-based solutions – specifically, Microsoft Azure.
Here are 5 ways we’re using Azure to keep patient data safe and eliminate cybersecurity threats for healthcare providers:
1- Unparalleled access to expertise and R&D resources
When you choose Azure as your cloud cybersecurity solution, you get access to resources that only the world’s largest enterprises could come close to replicating on their own. Microsoft has decades of security and privacy experience, employs over 3,500 experts who focus solely on privacy and security, offers more regulatory and compliance certifications than any other CSP, and invests over $1 billion annually in cybersecurity R&D.
2- Multi-layer, 360-degree protection
When you work with Azure, you get access to sophisticated multi-layer security with global datacenters, operations, and infrastructure. Security controls are baked into firmware and hardware, with added components to protect against threats like DDoS attacks.
The team at Hanu focuses on empowering healthcare organizations with a wealth of built-in controls you can leverage. These include networking, identity, and data controls through Microsoft Defender for Cloud. It also mean we can integrate your on-premises environments in the cloud seamlessly, without creating new opportunities for cyber criminals to breach your data.
When threats inevitably arise, the team at Hanu will have tools to identify them immediately and respond using real-time global intelligence backed by Azure. The insights we leverage were developed by analyzing over 400 billion emails, 18 billion Bing searches, and 1 billion Windows device updates.The results are fed through behavioral analytics and machine learning algorithms. At this point, Microsoft’s data science team analyzes them and feed them into their cybersecurity system for lightning-fast threat detection.
3- 365/24/7 managed security
Given today’s cybersecurity landscape, it probably comes as no surprise to discover that managing security is a never-ending process. Analyzing data, testing your security measures, and identifying and remediating new threats is a 24/7 job.
That’s where the team at Hanu comes in. We have team members available around the clock to respond to any and all perceived data breaches. More importantly, our software solutions monitor threat penetration continuously, ensuring that the right people are notified at the right time, should anything of concern arise.
4- Auditing and compliance for hybrid, global organizations
Maintaining regulatory compliance – whether HIPAA in the USA, PHIPA in Canada, or any number of international laws – is a constant battle. When you work with Hanu, we ensure you meet all regulatory requirements, whether we’re building a solution from the ground up or integrating Azure into your existing IT infrastructure. From vulnerability and security risk assessments to penetration and policy development, our team will create a compliance strategy for you that encompasses your entire cloud and on-premises systems
5- Zero trust framework
We adopt a zero-trust security model to increase confidentiality and force least privilege access for all users, regardless of their device. Access controls are applied consistently across all platforms, including IoT devices which often offer little protection but are used in critical patient data scenarios. We allow providers to define unified access policies acrossall of their applications, from web portals to email, for simplified visibility and reduction of attack surfaces.
As healthcare providers increase their cloud adoption, they often find themselves lost in a sea of multiple clouds and on-prem environments with disparate security controls. Hanu Cloud Security solutions provide comprehensive cross-cloud protection, visibility, and control across cloud infrastructures, enabling secure applications and connectivity from the data centre to the cloud.
To learn more about how we can help you improve your cybersecurity posture, contact us today:
