Ransomware Attacks and Ways of Preventing Them Essay

Ransomware Attacks

• Most health organizations are vulnerable to ransomware attacks due to internet connections.
• When unauthorized individual gains access to an organization’s data and hold it, hostage, they are likely to damage devices and data.
• Patients usually seek services where they feel their information is safe; this leads to losses to organizations that are not secured to keep off hackers (Hafermalz & Riemer, 2020).
• It should be noted that once a hacker gets access to an organization’s data and holds it ransom, it is challenging to recover.
• In some instances, organizations prefer changing the entire system to make it safer.
• The issue with changing the entire system is that it is costly and consumes a lot of time.
• Changing the system can lead to the loss of crucial information about patients.

Ways of Preventing Ransomware Attacks

• When an individual clicks on a malicious link, it authorizes automatic downloads that infect computers.
• Therefore, all staff in health organizations should avoid clicking unknown websites or spam links.
• When organizations update their programs and operating systems regularly, it ensures that the latest security patches are installed, making it difficult for cyber-attacks to get access (Hafermalz & Riemer, 2020).
• In most cases, hackers infect USBs and put them in the public domain, where it is accessible to everyone. Due to this, the organization should always avoid using all storage media from unknown sources.
• Using anti-malware software such as premium antivirus makes it difficult for cybercriminals to access unauthorized information.

HIPAA Breach Notification Rule

• All the highlighted HIPAA breach notification rules apply to all health organizations within the borders of Saudi Arabia.
• Crucial information included in the notification of a breach is a description of the breach, information breached, and steps taken to prevent future violations.
• Failure to comply with HIPAA’s breach notification rule can lead to health organizations incurring financial penalties (Hafermalz & Riemer, 2020).
• To prevent these heavy penalties from the Federal government, all health organizations are usually issued the requirements.

Remote Work

• Although most employees prefer remote working, their human errors can lead to data breaches.
• However, organizations have the leverage of turning employees into cybersecurity assets by offering training programs such as information security.
• In addition, to heighten the security of remote working, employees under the programs should avoid using public Wi-Fi (Hafermalz & Riemer, 2020).
• Generally, if organizations ensure appropriate measures for remote working, it will be highly productive because employees will tend to work for more hours.

Risks of Remote Working

• Software attacks are the main risk that remote working experiences can be prevented by installing strong premium antivirus.
• Since remote working requires employers and employees to be connected to the internet, it is vulnerable for an organization’s ideas, products, and other IP to be robbed (Hafermalz & Riemer, 2020).
• This theft can be prevented, heightening an organization’s cybersecurity to make it impossible for cybercriminals to access information.
• From another perspective, some employees can decide to sell the company’s information because they are not under physical supervision.
• Reselling a company’s information can be prevented by ensuring that sensitive data is only accessible to reliable and most trusted employees.

Components of IT Security Policy Document

• The information technology department should always grant employees privileges to work from their preferred sites.
• When an employee has been approved to work remotely, they should be provided with the agreement that they will sign to assure compliance with remote worker procedures, standards, and policies (Hafermalz & Riemer, 2020).
• The security policy document applies to all employees who have remote access to information systems and networks.
• In addition, the document has the responsibility of defining requirements for secure access to the organizations, networks, and information computing resources by authorized teleworking workers.
• However, the document is not valid for employees who work from the office daily.
• If an employee under a remote work program does not comply with the security policy, financial penalties depend on the damage.

Factors and Threats that can Compromise Security of IoT Infrastructure in the 5G Environment

• All the identified factors make IoT infrastructure in a 5G environment vulnerable to hackers because unauthorized individuals can easily access information (Hafermalz & Riemer, 2020).
• The identified threat is likely to occur because, during the creation of the infrastructure, a lot of information is required, and in case it falls into the hand of hackers, the whole system will be damaged.
• Therefore, any organization creating its IoT system in a 5G network should take necessary measures to prevent these factors and threats.

Ways to Prevent 3^rd Party Risk on IoT infrastructure

• Pre-assessment involves enhancing cybersecurity and reducing third parties’ risk to ensure that it is almost impossible to access any information.
• Threat modeling is usually used to test the security of 3^rd party devices.
• Threat modeling that will be used should include checks such as control confidentiality, integrity, and availability (Hafermalz & Riemer, 2020).
• There should be an authorization process for all employees working remotely to ensure that there is no impersonation from hackers.

Conclusion

• Although most health organizations are vulnerable to ransomware attacks due to internet connection, there are numerous ways to prevent it. All prevention measures should be provided as training to all staff.
• Organizations should turn remote working employees into assets because they are highly productive
• Health organizations should consider using IoT Infrastructure in the 5G environment as it is more productive, especially when there are remote working employees.

Reference

Hafermalz, E., & Riemer, K. (2020). Productive and connected while working from home: What client-facing remote workers can learn from telenurses about ‘belonging through technology.’European Journal of Information Systems, 30(1), 89-99.