Report details increased cybersecurity risk for healthcare industry amidst COVID-19 pandemic;

shares actionable guidance for stakeholders

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – August 3, 2020 – Fortified Health Security, the recognized leader in cybersecurity for healthcare, today released the 2020 Mid-Year Horizon Report. The report details findings that illustrate how the COVID-19 pandemic has created a sudden demand for solutions like remote work and telehealth, and how meeting these demands has created an increased cybersecurity risk for the present and future state of the healthcare industry.

The report leverages a comprehensive cross-section of information, expertise and statistical analysis to highlight industry-wide trends, insights and predictions. Horizon Reports have been published by Fortified Health Security since 2017 and are designed to help healthcare stakeholders navigate the exceedingly complex cybersecurity terrain by sharing best practices and actionable guidance.

Significant findings from the 2020 Mid-Year Horizon Report include:

  • Reported breaches from healthcare organizations increased by over 8% in the first half of 2020, compared to the same period in 2019.
  • Healthcare providers continue to be the most compromised segment in healthcare, accounting for almost 75% of reported breaches.
  • Business associates faced a 46% increase in the number of reported breaches year-over-year, representing the largest increase of any healthcare segment.
  • Thus far in 2020, over 5.6 million people have had their health records compromised.

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to produce uncertainty, stress and disruption across all industries, including healthcare. As we move through the remaining months of 2020, it is critical we do so with a renewed focus and commitment to the fundamentals of cybersecurity,” said Dan L. Dodson, CEO of Fortified Health Security. “Security is, at its heart, a patient safety issue. Our intent is that this Mid-Year Horizon Report builds awareness about the evolving cybersecurity landscape in healthcare and provides valuable insights for organizations during this challenging time.”

As healthcare organizations responded to the sudden shift to remote work and increased adoption of telehealth, cybercriminals significantly ramped up their phishing attacks to capitalize on this period of rapid change. According to the report:

  • “Email compromise” remains the most common attack vector used to gain access to healthcare networks and steal patient data.
  • Over 47% of reported breaches thus far in 2020 included email attacks, which is up from 42% in full year 2019.
  • According to April data by Gallup, the number of individuals who had worked remote at any point increased from 31% to 62% in just two weeks, and 59% of U.S. adults will opt to work remotely as much as possible if their employers gave them the choice.

Fortified Health Security’s Mid-Year Horizon Report is available for download here.

About Fortified Health Security

Fortified Health Security is healthcare’s recognized leader in cybersecurity – protecting patient data and reducing risk throughout the Fortified healthcare ecosystem. As a managed security service provider, Fortified works alongside healthcare organizations to build tailored programs designed to leverage their prior security investments and current processes while implementing new solutions that reduce risk and increase their security posture over time. Fortified’s high-touch engagements and customized recommendations provide ROI and result in actionable information to reduce the risk of cyber events. The company is 100% committed to creating a stronger healthcare landscape that benefits more clients, protects more patient data, and reduces more risk. For more information, contact connect@fortifiedhealthsecurity.com, (615) 600-4002 or visit FortifiedHealthSecurity.com.