Healthcare companies handle some of the most valuable information in the world, such as pharmaceutical R&D information and the most sensitive patient data. However, this is the reason why all healthcare companies need to implement some of the strongest information security measures for protecting such important information of their patients from unauthorized access and some other cyber threats.
Well, the question here is that, being a healthcare provider, how would you ensure the security of the sensitive information of your customers? However, this is where ISO 27001 comes into play, which is an international standard for information security. Do you know complying with this information security standard will help these healthcare companies set up a robust system for managing their valuable information in such a way that will meet the industry’s best practices as well as the regulatory requirements?
ISO 27001 is an “international information security standard” that will help companies manage their customers’ sensitive information. However, the ISO 27001 standard will provide a blueprint of the policies, procedures, and controls for helping you set up an effective ISMS, i.e., “information security management system.”
In ISO 27001, companies regularly identify, analyze, and evaluate the weaknesses in their systems. However, this entire process is known as a “risk assessment.” However, for the companies that want to be ISO 27001 certified, let us tell you that ISO 27001 certification is done by an independent certifying body that will approve that you’ve put together your information security management system in line with the standard.
However, getting ISO 27001 certification is beneficial because it is an internationally accepted seal of approval that will help assure your stakeholders about the security of their important data, and now they will know that you will be taking the safety of their information seriously.
As we mentioned earlier, healthcare companies handle the most sensitive patient information on a day-to-day basis, and a breach of this information could have some severe consequences for the company as well as for the individuals whose data has been leaked or compromised. That means healthcare companies have to deal with numerous cybersecurity threats, such as:
Ransomware Attacks:
Do you know today a lot of healthcare companies are dealing with ransomware attacks where some bad actors hold the most important hospital data hostage, and then they force them to pay a massive ransom to recover it? As the healthcare sector is the most likely sector to pay the ransom, it has made them highly lucrative targets for hackers.
Attacks on Medical Devices:
In this digital era, healthcare providers are quickly adopting IoT (Internet of Things), where medical devices and software exchange important information over the internet. However, there is no doubt IoT helps hospitals streamline their operations, but at the same time, their unmanaged devices can give attackers more vulnerabilities to exploit while gaining access to sensitive data.
ISO 27001 certification protects healthcare companies in numerous ways.
It Provides a Blueprint of the Policies and the Procedures:
An information security management system built according to ISO 27001 helps healthcare companies clearly state their policies and procedures, where they specify how they manage information. When healthcare companies ensure proper policies, it can help them prevent data breaches.
It Helps in Analyzing the Gaps in Your Information Security System:
When healthcare companies integrate an ISO 27001–compliant information security management system in their company, then they can easily identify any gaps that are there in their information security system, and with that, they can also test their existing security measures.
It Reduces the Supply Chain Risks:
The ISO 27001 standard doesn’t only protect your organization from external threats, but it also helps your organization reduce supply chain risks, as this information security standard helps you integrate information security elements into your supplier contracts while minimizing risks.
It Ensures that the Staff is Well Equipped to Handle Cyber Threats:
When you comply with the ISO 27001 standard, then you can ensure that your staff is well trained in identifying and dealing with hacking activities like phishing, password attacks, and social engineering.
It Helps Identify and Prepare for a Variety of Security Risks:
With the ISO 27001 information security standard, you can easily identify different types of information assets along with their unique risks. When you know what these risks are, you will be able to formulate strategies through which you can deal with them effectively.
It Helps with Legal Compliance:
As we all know, the healthcare industry is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the world, and this is because of the sensitivity of the information they are handling. Therefore, some of the most stringent laws, such as GDPR and HIPAA, have strict requirements for how companies should handle important health data. Implementing the ISO 27001 security standard will help you comply with these legal requirements.
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