Recently, the US Colonial Pipeline was shut down following a ransomware attack that caused a massive outage in fuel in the East Coast markets, a detriment to the economy. While pipelines and dental services may seem very different, dental practices could be putting themselves at risk of a similar attack.
Most devices in dental offices that store sensitive patient information are not optimized for cybersecurity and are vulnerable to ransomware attacks. Records such as digital radiographs and intraoral camera images taken by a dentist are integral in determining how to treat a patient. A ransomware attack could conceivably corrupt private patient details and medical records, rendering them unusable and posing an identity/financial threat for patients who have lost their private information. Consider the following digital hygiene habits to help avoid similar threats to your dental practice.
1. Install reputable antivirus and malware software
Antivirus protects your computer systems from malicious attacks by hackers by alerting you whenever a threat is detected. It also tries to eliminate the malicious software or issue behind the attack. These two ensure that all data is kept safe and that the organizations’ security is impenetrable.
2. Employ network firewalls
Firewalls prevent unauthorized users from accessing your mail servers, websites or other vital company information. It is a necessary tool to help maintain security and avoid a breach.
3. Employ device encryptions
It is essential to encrypt your devices and other media that contain sensitive data. Encryption makes it difficult for the hacker to decipher and compromise your system. You can use end to end encryptions or an encrypted USB memory stick.
4. Multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication adds layers of security using biometrics like facial or fingerprint recognition to make it harder for hackers to access your device and personal information. The two-layer authentication only requires you to submit your password and username along with a unique code that is sent to employees or a user’s cell phone.
5. Update software regularly
It is advisable to regularly update web browsers, apps and operating systems to ensure you are working with the latest programs to eliminate and detect potential threats. These updates include software patches.
6. Keep your hard drive clean
Avoid storing sensitive and private data on your hard drive, especially if you leave them lying around.
7. Secure your router
It would be best to change the default name and password that your router came with from the manufacturer to protect your wireless network. The user should turn off the remote management option and logging out as the administrator to maintain the highest level of privacy on the network.
8. Back up regularly
You should secure patient records by backing them up offline on an external device or on the Cloud to prevent a total operation lockdown if hackers launch an attack.
9. Set strong passwords
Passwords are essential but useless if they are predictable. A strong password is unique, contains at least 12 characters with numbers, symbols, capital and small letters, making it complex. Organizations can also avoid using the same password regularly.
While it is possible to remove ransomware malware from a system, organizations should not be ignorant to establish preventive measures. Additionally, the process of restoration is complex and time-consuming. Adopting these safety measures will eliminate most security loopholes in your systems that would otherwise leave them vulnerable to hackers. Contact Assured Technology Services to ensure your dental office is up to par with the necessary security tools to safeguard your practice from a ransomware attack.