Is Penetration Testing on your 2020 To-Do List?

If you’re thinking that the industry you’re operating in is safe from cybersecurity threats then you might have to think again. In this article, we’ll specifically discuss the implications of breaches on healthcare businesses and why is annual penetration testing important for them.

The healthcare sector is no different when it comes to paying the price for poor security systems. Information security experts warn that healthcare will be the biggest target for cybercriminals over the next five years. With the current cybersecurity environment in healthcare, health institutions need to guard Personal Health Information (PHI), patient records and their data that can be put at risk by credential-stealing malware, lost devices or corrupt staff. It’s time to consider foundational security elements in terms of maintaining cyber hygiene.

To guard against these threats, first, you need a well-defined and effective risk management strategy built on the concept of end-to-end protection. You don’t want to waste your resources on something that yields no result. Without a proper plan, you’ll strangle your operations instead of supporting them. Therefore, it’s important to have policies that are effectively enforced, and bring an approach to cybersecurity that’s surgical – working from the inside out – to understand every fit and function of the organization. For this purpose, it’s recommended to acquire the services of a well-reputed penetration testing company.

Yes, penetration testing is a considerable and probably the best solution if you’re looking to strengthen your security systems. This testing approach simulates a cyber attack on your systems to detect exploitable vulnerabilities that could lead to data breaches. There’s no need to worry since these attacks are conducted by certified ethical hackers who are well-aware of the rules and regulations and are closely monitored. This test is a manual process that dives deeper into your environment than an automated vulnerability scan does.

How is Penetration Testing Better than Automated Vulnerability Scans? 

  • Keeps you ahead in the race with real hackers in exposing your weaknesses
  • It can reveal concerned areas that need attention
  • It provides an outside view of your security posture
  • It simulates a real attacker scenario
  • Help with meeting compliance with industry standards and regulations
  • Help prioritize and tackle risks based on their exploitability and impact

Conclusion

In this age when cyberattacks are constantly making headlines, organizations can’t just sit and relax. The financial burden on attacked organizations is crippling, but the reputation risk is even greater. And reputation is a big factor when patients are entrusting their health and data to a health institution. So, be safe. Hire a penetration testing company before it’s too late.

 

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