Imprivata, the digital identity company for mission and life-critical industries, has partnered with WBR Insights to survey 200 security leaders at healthcare companies across the US and UK. The results shed light on how healthcare organisations like hospitals, clinics and medical systems are approaching security risks.
As more healthcare facilities take steps to strengthen their security posture, protecting against all cyberthreats hasn’t been easy. Healthcare facilities are struggling with implementing and enforcing holistic digital identity management strategies, according to the new Imprivata report titled, Security and Digital Identity in the Healthcare Industry. The findings show that despite 69% of respondents saying identity management is important to their organisation’s security strategy, 51% have still experienced a security incident in the last year.
Responses indicate that healthcare organisations have made significant progress in protecting their systems from cyberattacks and data breaches, with over 75% claiming their security strategy has become more robust and comprehensive. However, the fact that more than half (51%) suffered a cybersecurity incident in the past year suggests a different approach is needed to enhance security.
“Healthcare organisations have been put under significant strain, not only by the ongoing pandemic but by the sheer volume of cyberthreats that plague this sector at rates higher than any other,” said Gus Malezis, CEO at Imprivata. “Now, enterprises must put the right technologies and processes in place to enhance security and prioritise compliance in the face of these rising threats.”
Nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents are currently using compliance, audit and risk reporting technologies to combat these threats. However, only half of the respondents surveyed are using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), a core security technology that requires multiple verification factors to gain access to data and applications.
Other critical identity and access management solutions that are being used by less than half of respondents include single sign-on (46%), Privileged Access Management (PAM) (42%) and role-based provisioning and de-provisioning (35%). These solutions, including MFA, represent the foundation of a Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA). High complexity and poor user compliance are cited as top roadblocks to implementation, while 73% said lack of budget is not a challenge for their identity management strategy.
Using one of these solutions is better than none, but the lack of a holistic cyberstrategy can leave detrimental gaps and vulnerabilities. Of those that experienced a security incident, 51% cited the incident involved theft of customer personal identifiable information.
“While security leaders understand the threats they face, it’s clear they need better, more efficient solutions to break down internal barriers. Working with a seasoned partner that understands clinical workflows can help ensure deployment is successful through implementation and beyond,” added Malezis.