by Shibu Paul
The healthcare sector is rapidly becoming more digitized, with web applications at the forefront of this transformation. From electronic health records (EHRs) to patient portals to telemedicine platforms, web applications are helping to improve patient care and efficiency in myriad ways.
However, this digital transformation also comes with increased cybersecurity risks. Healthcare data is a valuable target for cybercriminals, and healthcare organizations are often seen as easy targets due to their complex IT infrastructures and sensitive data.
As a result, it is essential for healthcare organizations to prioritize web application security. By implementing strong security measures, healthcare organizations can protect their patients’ data and ensure the continuity of care.
Role of Web Apps in Healthcare
Web applications transform healthcare, deliver advanced patient care, improve customer experience, and enable data-driven decisions with real-time insights.
EHRs, patient portals, telemedicine, and real-time patient tracking are just a few ways web applications revolutionize healthcare.
However, the massive amount of data generated by web applications poses a challenge: how to safely and securely share and integrate it among devices and AI systems?
That’s where web application security plays a bigger role.
How to secure web applications in healthcare?
Web application security in healthcare saves institutes from theft and loss of data and helps protect their reputation and sensitive information. Here’s how to protect your web applications:
Have a DDoS protection plan in place
DDoS is one of the most common attacks organizations face. It’s also relatively easy to conduct and doesn’t require high specialization. However, it can cause serious losses to the institute.
Install web application firewall solutions
Web application firewalls (WAFs) are an excellent solution for protecting applications from threats and attacks. WAFs work on the application layer, inspect incoming traffic, and identify and stop malicious traffic from entering your network. Implementing a WAF ensures keeping malicious traffic at bay.
Encrypt data at rest and in transit.
Encrypting data in transit means encrypting it when transmitted over a network, such as the Internet. This can be done using a variety of encryption protocols, such as TLS/SSL.
This will help to protect patient data, even if it is stolen or intercepted.
Implement least-privilege access
The principle of least privilege states that each user should only have the minimum access necessary to perform their job duties. This helps to reduce the risk of unauthorized access to patient data.
To implement least privilege access, healthcare organizations should identify the different roles and responsibilities within the organization, determine the minimum access required for each role, and grant users only the access needed to perform their job duties.
Have a disaster recovery plan in place
A disaster recovery plan tells how to recover from a disaster, such as a cyberattack or natural disaster. The plan should include steps for restoring data and systems and communicating with stakeholders. Having a disaster recovery plan in place is important for healthcare organizations because it helps minimize a disaster’s impact on patient care.
Conclusion
Web applications play a vital role in healthcare, but the risk of cyberattacks comes with this. To protect patient data and ensure the continuity of care, healthcare organizations must prioritize web application security.
By implementing strong authentication and authorization measures, keeping web applications and software up to date, performing regular security testing, using a web application firewall (WAF), and encrypting sensitive data, healthcare organizations can help secure their web applications and protect patient data.
By taking these steps, healthcare organizations can demonstrate their commitment to patient safety and security and build trust with their patients.
Shibu Paul, Vice President – International Sales at Array Networks
(DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETHealthworld does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETHealthworld.com shall not be responsible for any damage caused to any person / organisation directly or indirectly.)
