CSC 2.0 Suggests Tighter Security Measures to Secure US Healthcare

The follow-up to the Cyberspace Solarium Commission, CSC 2.0, has released a fresh report urging Congress and the White House to promptly bolster cybersecurity measures for safeguarding the healthcare sector against cyber threats. Read to know more about the report.

The report, titled “Healthcare Cybersecurity Needs a Check Up,” delves into the frequency of cyberattacks against the healthcare and public health sectors.

“The healthcare and public health sector faced significant financial struggles long before the ransomware epidemic revealed its frailty. In 2010, one-third of healthcare facility chief financial officers said their hospitals were in worse condition than 10 years prior, and half said their infrastructure was deteriorating faster than they could accrue the capital to improve it,” it said in the report.

It notes that the declining infrastructure exacerbates financial strains, with reactive system replacements costing substantially more than proactive measures. To tackle the problem, CSC2.0 suggests a few recommendations which include recommending that Congress increase Funding for HHS’s SRMA Capabilities

“HHS’s funding to help the healthcare sector secure itself is insufficient. HHS has requested additional resources to expand its workforce and capabilities dedicated to incident response and mitigation. It is critical that Congress approve this request. HHS cannot accomplish its goals without the required appropriations and manpower,” the report said.

Likewise, for the industry, it recommends providing Cyber hygiene training to all employees Despite having a strong cybersecurity team, employee errors or lack of awareness can still result in significant risks.