Top 5 Healthcare Cybersecurity Solutions in Singapore

Overview of Cybersecurity in Healthcare in Singapore

With the increasing digitalization of health IT, including networked systems, wireless technology, and software medical devices, healthcare providers are more connected than ever. The need for secure health information sharing across the health ecosystem is growing, especially with the upcoming requirement for selected patient records to be contributed to the National Electronic Health Records (NEHR) under the future Health Information Bill (HIB).

According to the Cybersecurity Agency of Singapore (CSA), cyber crimes are increasing in scale and sophistication, with 33,669 cybercrime cases reported locally. In 2022, the CSA Singapore Cyber Emergency Response Team (SingCERT) handled around 8,500 phishing attempts and 132 ransomware cases, showing the continued growth of cyber threats globally. The healthcare sector was consistently among the top three most targeted sectors for ransomware attacks.

As healthcare becomes more digitized and interconnected, some providers may still hold onto paper medical records, which must be properly secured. Therefore, it is crucial to have robust healthcare cybersecurity solutions in place to protect IT systems’ confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as well as secure hardcopy records.

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Top 5 leading healthcare cybersecurity solutions in Singapore

Use Antivirus Software

Hackers often target vulnerable healthcare organizations (small offices, ambulatory clinics, and acute care facilities) through virus or malware attacks. External sources such as CDs/DVDs, email, flash drives, and Internet downloads can introduce viruses, malware, or other zero-day threats to your devices or organization. 

To protect your devices and organization from malicious threats, it is recommended to use antivirus software such as Symantec, Norton, McAfee, or next-generation endpoint protection suites from Carbon Black, Cylance, etc.

“How would you recognize that your system is infected with malware?” Users should be wary of the following signs that indicate the presence of malware:

• The system crashes without any reason
• The installed antivirus software doesn’t work
• Difficulty in controlling the mouse or pointer
• The web browser sends unwanted web pages
• The system is unable to start, “blue screen of death”
• Unwanted or nuisance ads popup

Such incidents should be reported promptly so that the issues may be quickly investigated, mitigated, and resolved. Reporting procedures should be part of the healthcare cybersecurity solutions and training efforts mentioned previously.

Limit Physical Access to Systems

To reduce your cyberattack surface, establish physical access controls on all connected systems and devices. In a healthcare organization, the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system, which contains sensitive patient information, should apply healthcare cybersecurity solutions and be protected from unauthorized access as it is foundational to patient care, business operations, and a rich repository of protected healthcare information.

To prevent data loss, asset theft, or other issues that could impact patient safety and business operations, minimize the chances of devices being lost or stolen. For traditional IT assets, physical security—an essential component of healthcare cybersecurity solutions—considers two factors:

• Physical Protection: Restrict access to assets and information from unauthorized persons, ensuring that only authorized individuals can gain access.
• Environmental Protection: Safeguard against water, fire, and other external impacts. Mitigate these risks with additional resources or systems and include continuity of operations planning to maintain functionality during environmental disruptions.

Maintain Good Cybersecurity Habits in Healthcare

Maintaining good health is the core mission of a healthcare organization. Similarly, maintaining strong healthcare cybersecurity solutions is crucial. Developing and maintaining good cyber-hygiene habits ensures that your systems, devices, and operations remain secure, available for patient care, and functioning properly.

Maintain good cyber-hygiene habits in the following areas:

• Operating System (OS) Maintenance
• Configuration Management
• Software Maintenance

There are many options associated with modern technology and gadgets that should be appropriately optimized. However, a few essential rules must be followed for the security of your healthcare organization, such as:

• Test patches in a test environment before deployment into production systems and devices.
• Minimize non-essential applications, and services, and close unnecessary ports not required for clinical and business operations.
• Disable file shares and remote access whenever possible to minimize exposure of protected information from unauthorized access.

Protect Your Mobile Devices

Mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, and small storage devices make access to healthcare information convenient and easy. This ease of access also provides a broader attack surface for exploitation. Therefore, healthcare cybersecurity solutions must include mobile device security to minimize the risk of threats and cyberattacks at these small, mobile endpoints.

Consider the following factors for protecting your mobile devices:

• Mobile devices are carried and can be seen by others, so physically protecting your mobile devices from unauthorized access is paramount.
• Enable device tracking on mobile devices that have the means to track their use and location by authorized users to locate lost or stolen devices.
• Consider the use of a VPN application to ensure the confidentiality of information on public Wi-Fi and cellular networks.
• Screen savers should be configured for password or PIN access. These passwords are not often by password rules for application security but are still critical to mobile device security.
• For corporate mobile devices, use a Mobile Device Management (MDM) platform to support standard policies for acceptable use, data partitioning, and mobile device wiping of sensitive corporate information if lost or stolen.

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Use, Monitor, and Manage Your Firewalls

A firewall, whether software or hardware, prevents external intrusions and protects internal data. Next-generation firewall (NGFW) platforms and software-defined networks (SDNs) further enhance network security by segregating and mitigating intrusions. Regardless of the technology, they require ongoing monitoring, installation, and maintenance.

For healthcare organizations, firewalls, NGFWs, and SDNs are crucial healthcare cybersecurity solutions for securing complex networks of business, clinical, and medical devices. Given the challenges of legacy medical devices, patching, and regulatory constraints, these platforms are essential. They offer effective security technologies for both local and wide area networks in healthcare settings.

Consider the use of a VPN application to ensure the confidentiality of information on public Wi-Fi and cellular networks, further enhancing your suite of healthcare cybersecurity solutions.

How SmartOSC can provide healthcare cybersecurity solutions to your organization

SmartOSC’s approach to healthcare cybersecurity solutions ensures comprehensive protection for your organization now and in the future. With over 18 years of experience in building and securing digital environments for retail enterprises globally, SmartOSC has a deep understanding of the complexities within healthcare organizations

Cybersecurity Solutions We Offer:

• Mobile Security: We fortify your mobile ecosystem against evolving cyber threats, including app security and device protection, to ensure secure access to sensitive healthcare data.
• Threat Intelligence: Our data-driven, industry-relevant intelligence services help reduce and mitigate business risks by providing actionable insights and advanced analytic services.
• Application Security: We secure applications end-to-end, from ideation through to operation and optimization, ensuring that your healthcare applications are protected throughout their lifecycle.
• Cloud Security: We embed security at every stage of the cloud lifecycle, protecting applications, workloads, containers, and all cloud types to secure your digital infrastructure.
• Network Security: Our advanced threat detection and preventive measures safeguard data flow, communications, and sensitive information across your healthcare network.
• Endpoint Security: We provide a robust defense against malicious activities targeting your endpoints with pioneering detection and response, integrated with real-time prevention across all key attack surfaces.

By partnering with SmartOSC, you gain a cybersecurity ally dedicated to enhancing the security posture of your healthcare organization in Singapore. We address every facet of your cybersecurity needs to ensure the safety of your sensitive patient information and critical systems.

Conclusion

To ensure the highest level of protection for your healthcare organization in Singapore, implementing advanced cybersecurity solutions is crucial. These top 5 healthcare cybersecurity solutions will help secure your digital infrastructure and safeguard patient data. 

For a comprehensive approach to healthcare cybersecurity, partner with SmartOSC. Our expertise and tailored solutions can enhance your security posture and protect your critical systems. Contact us today to strengthen your cybersecurity strategy.