Data privacy is a growing concern among individuals, businesses, and governments. It is estimated that 92% of Americans are concerned about their privacy when they use the Internet. To address this concern, governments are imposing legislation, forcing companies to take measures to protect users’ data from unauthorized access.
This problem of data privacy has larger implications in sensitive industries like healthcare because it involves sensitive information like patient records. While external threats often grab the headlines, insider threats—particularly employee snooping—can be just as, if not more, damaging. This article delves into the issue of insider threats in healthcare, referencing insights from a discussion between Catherine Short and Raymond Ribble, CEO of SPHER, Inc., on the “1st Talk Compliance” podcast.
Understanding Insider Threats
According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), “Insider threat is the potential for an insider to use their authorized access or understanding of an organization to harm that organization.” An insider is an employee, contractor, third-party vendor, technician, or any other person with authorized access and/or knowledge of an organization’s resources.
Insider threats can be both intentional and unintentional. Regardless of the type, these threats profoundly impact an organization’s operations. In 2024 alone, 74% of cybersecurity professionals feel their organization is susceptible to a malicious insider threat.
These threats make organizations highly vulnerable, especially those in the healthcare industry. Insider threats in healthcare typically involve employees or contractors who misuse their access to sensitive information. This can include unauthorized access to electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI), data theft, and intentional data breaches. According to Raymond Ribble, 67% of data breaches in healthcare organizations stem from employee snooping. This alarming statistic highlights the critical need for healthcare organizations to address internal security vulnerabilities.
Let’s look at a couple of cases to understand the impact of insider threats.
Chicago Hospital
A striking example of insider threats can be seen in a local hospital in Chicago, a client of SPHER, Inc. Within the first month of their partnership with SPHER, the hospital recorded 1,800 snooping incidents. By publicly addressing the issue and educating employees on data privacy, the hospital successfully reduced these incidents to zero within two months. This case underscores the effectiveness of transparency and education in combating insider threats.
Texas Hospital
In another example, an employee in a Texas hospital exploited the organization’s network for personal gain. The employee, Jesse McGraw, who worked as a night security guard, created a botnet to attack rival hacking groups. McGraw’s activities were exposed when he filmed himself infiltrating the hospital network and posted the video on YouTube. The footage showed him using a specific key, which ultimately revealed his identity.
Further investigation uncovered that McGraw had installed malware on numerous hospital machines, including those at nursing stations holding patient records. He also placed a backdoor in the hospital’s HVAC system, which, if tampered with, could have disrupted the cooling system, damaging medications and endangering patients during the hot Texas summer. McGraw pled guilty to computer tampering charges and received a 9-year prison sentence, along with a fine of $31,000.
These examples reflect the commonality of insider threats and the need for every organization to take steps to protect their network and data from insider threats.
11 Strategies for Mitigating Insider Threats
Organizations must take a comprehensive approach that combines technology, policy, and culture to counter insider attacks. Here are some effective strategies:
1. User Monitoring and Access Controls
Implement user monitoring and stringent access controls. User monitoring tools can track who accesses ePHI and flag suspicious behavior. Similarly, access controls should be based on the principle of least privilege, ensuring that employees only have access to the data necessary for their roles.
2. Education and Training
Educate employees about the importance of data privacy and security. Regular training sessions help employees recognize potential threats and understand their role in protecting sensitive information. As noted in the podcast, educating employees not to click on suspicious links or install unauthorized applications can significantly reduce the risk of external and internal threats.
3. Culture of Compliance
Develop a culture of compliance that’s more than just enforcing rules. It requires engaging employees and making them active participants in data protection efforts. Regular one-on-one sessions between managers and employees can discuss data breaches and their causes without making employees feel micromanaged. Newsletters, company meetings, and other communication channels can be used to convey the importance of monitoring and data protection.
4. Employee Feedback and Involvement
Encourage employees to provide feedback and suggest improvements to data protection practices. Besides creating a sense of ownership and responsibility, it can also motivate employees to actively participate in safeguarding data.
5. Advanced Technologies
Implement advanced technologies like encryption, multi-factor authentication, and intrusion detection systems to provide an additional layer of security. These technologies can help prevent unauthorized access and detect suspicious activities early.
6. Regular Audits and Assessments
Conduct regular audits and risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations. These audits should include reviews of access logs, security protocols, and employee activities related to ePHI.
7. Incident Response Planning
Have a robust incident response plan to mitigate the impact of insider threats. The plan should outline steps for detecting, responding to, and recovering from security incidents. Regularly test and update the plan to ensure its effectiveness in real-world scenarios.
8. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Use the RBAC security strategy to restrict system access to authorized users based on their roles within the organization. Assign permissions based on job functions to minimize the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive information. This approach ensures that employees can only access the data necessary for their work.
9. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Solutions
Use DLP solutions to detect and prevent data breaches by monitoring, detecting, and blocking sensitive data while they are in use, in motion, and at rest. These DLP solutions can safeguard ePHI from insider threats by ensuring that sensitive data does not leave the organization inappropriately.
10. Behavioral Analytics
Monitor user behavior to detect anomalies that may indicate insider threats. Establish baseline behavior patterns for users to identify deviations that could signal potential security risks. This proactive approach enables organizations to address threats before they escalate into significant breaches.
11. Create a Sustainable Security Culture
Create a sustainable security culture for mitigating insider threats. This culture should be built on trust, transparency, and continuous improvement. Open communication about security policies and monitoring practices to build trust among employees. Also, regularly review and update security policies, training programs, and technologies to stay ahead of evolving threats.
With these strategies, you can handle insider threats in your organization.
Bottom Line
Overall, insider threats are a hidden danger for organizations, especially those in the healthcare industry because of the sensitive patient information involved. To handle these threats, organizations must take a comprehensive and proactive approach. We hope the strategies described in this article can help organizations safeguard their PHI from both unintentional and malicious insider attacks.