Cisco has outlined five essential steps for healthcare providers in the UAE to enhance cybersecurity and foster digital resilience amid increasing threats to patient information.
According to Cisco, the healthcare sector is a primary target for cybercriminals globally, largely due to the value of patient data, the reliance on legacy systems, and human errors.
In the UAE, these threats are exacerbated by the rapid digital transformation within the industry, with the Department of Health Abu Dhabi already implementing standards through its ADHICS cybersecurity framework.
Fady Younes, Cisco’s managing director for cybersecurity across the Middle East, Africa, Türkiye, Romania, and the CIS, noted that cybersecurity has evolved to become a fundamental aspect of patient services and essential for maintaining digital resilience in the healthcare domain.
Cisco’s Recommended Protective Measures for Healthcare Organizations
Healthcare providers should concentrate on five key actions:
Recognize outdated IT systems as systemic vulnerabilities: Legacy systems and medical devices pose significant risks to patient care. Authorities should compel providers to identify and upgrade these vulnerable infrastructures.
- Rethink IT budgeting strategies: Hospitals must allow for flexibility in financial planning between capital and operational expenses to facilitate the adoption of subscription-based cybersecurity services.
- Prioritize cybersecurity training: Personnel at all levels should receive regular, relevant training, including practical simulations to ensure care continuity during possible outages.
- Promote collaboration and resource sharing: Smaller healthcare facilities without dedicated cybersecurity teams can gain advantages through regional partnerships, collaborative exercises, and shared intelligence on threats.
Secure electronic health records (EHRs): EHRs should adhere to stringent security protocols, including encryption, access restrictions, and interoperability safeguards, to mitigate the risk of breaches.
Cisco emphasized that establishing a resilient healthcare framework necessitates collaboration among the government, regulators, healthcare providers, and technology vendors to foster a culture of security and collectively address systemic vulnerabilities.