In recent years, healthcare systems worldwide have become prime targets for cyberattacks, with increasingly sophisticated and large-scale threats. It’s estimated that these attacks have caused damages totaling $9.8 million USD in 2024, significantly surpassing the $6.1 million USD loss in the financial sector (Healthcare Dive).

 

In Vietnam, cybersecurity concerns in the healthcare sector have been continually flagged by ministries in early 2024, with the Ministry of Public Security highlighting the rising frequency and scope of ransomware attacks targeting this field. Previously, a 2020 report by Kaspersky noted a severe data breach affecting a healthcare company in Vietnam, impacting over 80,000 individuals and exposing more than 12 million records.

 

These alarming reports and figures underscore the critical risks healthcare facilities face if their information systems lack robust security.

 

Why is the Healthcare Sector a Prime Target for Cybercriminals?

High-Value Data: Healthcare data holds significant value. Personal health information contains highly sensitive data, including names, addresses, national ID numbers, social security numbers, medical history, and even life insurance details. Additionally, as many healthcare providers integrate payment methods into their patient care processes, financial data like bank accounts and card information are often part of health records, further elevating sensitivity and security risks. This data is highly valued on the dark web, where cybercriminals can use it for insurance fraud, identity theft, or sell it to third parties.

 

Lack of Cybersecurity Funding and Expertise: While large healthcare organizations and hospitals may have the resources to hire IT security professionals or establish dedicated information security teams, many smaller clinics and healthcare providers struggle to allocate budget to cybersecurity. Often, these institutions prioritize patient care costs and operational expenses, overlooking information security as a critical need.

 

Complex and Distributed Data Systems: The healthcare sector collects and processes vast amounts of data, often stored in decentralized systems, from hospitals and clinics to third-party providers. This complexity in data management and security increases vulnerability. For example, a report by Báo Đầu Tư noted that although the Ministry of Health has clear requirements for implementing Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, each hospital uses software from different providers, leading to synchronization issues during data exchange. Other systems like HIS (Hospital Information System), LIS (Laboratory Information System), and PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) operate in isolation, creating a fragmented environment where hackers can exploit weaknesses.

 

Consequences of Sensitive Healthcare Data Breaches

Financial Fraud: Cybercriminals may use personal and medical information for fraudulent activities, such as opening fake credit accounts, committing health insurance fraud, or requesting unauthorized healthcare services.

 

Patient Safety Risks: If healthcare data is altered or accessed without authorization, patients could receive incorrect treatment or inadequate care, putting their health and even lives at risk.

 

Healthcare Service Disruptions: Data breaches can force healthcare facilities to halt operations temporarily to investigate and fix security issues, interrupting patient care and treatment services.

 

Reputational Damage: A large-scale data breach can severely damage the reputation of hospitals and healthcare institutions, affecting their ability to attract and retain patients and maintain effective operations.

 

To avoid these potentially severe consequences, VNCS introduces the intelligent OpenText Data Privacy and Protection (Voltage) solution, which helps detect and respond quickly to emerging threats.

 

Key Advantages of OpenText Voltage in Securing Healthcare Systems

Data Encryption and Tokenization: OpenText Voltage encrypts sensitive healthcare data both at rest and in transit, ensuring that even if hackers access the system, they cannot read encrypted information. Tokenization further replaces sensitive data with random values, adding another layer of security to health records and payment information.

 

Data Masking: When sharing patient data for research or external partnerships, data masking ensures privacy without compromising data integrity.

 

Regulatory Compliance: OpenText Voltage helps healthcare organizations meet stringent regulatory requirements, including HIPAA, HITRUST, GDPR, and PCI DSS. These regulations mandate strict security measures to protect patient information, and Voltage’s encryption, tokenization, and data masking features provide essential tools for compliance.

 

Protection Against Ransomware and Malware: In the event of a ransomware or malware attack, data encrypted and tokenized by Voltage remains unreadable and unusable by attackers. This ensures that even if the system is breached, sensitive patient information remains secure.

 

Given that healthcare institutions are frequent targets of ransomware attacks, OpenText’s Data Privacy and Protection solution significantly mitigates the impact of such attacks by preventing unauthorized access to patient records, financial data, and other critical information.

 

 

VNCS is honored to be the official distributor of OpenText’s security solutions in the Vietnamese market. Contact us to learn more about our solutions and receive comprehensive, effective cybersecurity advice.

 

 

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