Cyber incidents take significant toll on healthcare orgs

Healthcare organizations have been impacted by five cybersecurity threats on average over the past 12 months, with phishing and third-party breaches being the most prevalent, according to Healthcare Dive.

Moderate to severe financial toll from cyberattacks was reported by over 70% of healthcare leaders, while 60% and 59% cited major operational and clinical challenges, respectively, a survey from EY and Klas Research showed. Even though over 80% have noted the effectiveness of cyber preparedness prioritization in combating escalating cyber threats, almost two-thirds said that their organizations' cybersecurity goals are being challenged by budget restrictions and other organizational priorities.

Third-party vendor security has also been named by respondents as a challenge, with almost 70% planning to bolster vendor cybersecurity requirement enforcement.

"While cyber executives say leadership support has improved, additional resources and backing are needed. Leaders said the challenge isn't getting approval, but sustaining commitment when budgets tighten or priorities shift," said the report.