Healthcare organizations are among the most frequent targets of attacks by cybercriminals.
Even as more IT departments invest in cybersecurity measures, malicious actors still infiltrate infrastructures, often with disastrous consequences.
Some attacks force affected organizations to send incoming patients elsewhere because they cannot treat them while computer systems and connected devices are down.
Massive data leaks also pose identity theft risks for millions of people. The situation is further exacerbated because healthcare organizations often collect a wide range of data, from payment details to health status and medication records.
But AI can significantly and positively impact healthcare organizations of all sizes.
Detecting Anomalies in Incoming MessagesÂ
Cybercriminals took advantage of the way most people use a mix of work and personal devices and messaging channels daily.
A doctor may primarily use a hospital email during the workday, but switch to Facebook or text during the lunch break.
The diversity and number of platforms paves the way for phishing attacks. It also doesn’t help that healthcare professionals are under high pressure and may not initially read a message carefully enough to recognize the obvious signs of a scam.
Fortunately, AI is very good at detecting deviations from a baseline. This is particularly useful when phishing messages aim to impersonate people the recipient knows well. Because AI can quickly analyze large amounts of data, trained algorithms can pick up on unusual features.
Therefore, AI can be useful in thwarting increasingly sophisticated attacks. People who are warned about possible phishing scams are more likely to think carefully before giving out personal information.
This is crucial considering how many people healthcare fraud can affect. An attack compromised the information of 300,000 people and started when an employee clicked on a malicious link.
Most AI tools that scan messages work in the background, so they don’t impact a healthcare provider’s productivity or access to what they need. However, well-trained algorithms can find unusual messages and flag the IT team for further investigation.
Stopping Unfamiliar Ransomware Threats
Ransomware attacks involve cybercriminals locking down network assets and demanding payment.
 They have become more severe in recent years. They once affected only a few machines, but today’s threats often compromise entire networks. Additionally, having data backups is not necessarily sufficient for recovery.
Cybercriminals often threaten to leak stolen information if victims do not pay. Some hackers even contact people whose information they have about the original victim and demand money from them as well.
 Bad actors don’t need to create the ransomware themselves, either. They can purchase off-the-shelf offerings on the dark web or even find ransomware-for-hire gangs to handle attacks on their behalf.
A longitudinal study of ransomware attacks on healthcare organizations examined 374 incidents from January 2016 to December 2021. Ransomware attacks nearly doubled during the period. Additionally, 44.4% of attacks disrupted the healthcare delivery of affected organizations.
Researchers also noticed a ransomware trend affecting large healthcare organizations with multiple sites. These types of attacks allow hackers to expand their reach and increase the damage done.
With ransomware now an ever-present and growing threat, IT teams that oversee healthcare organizations need to remain innovative in their defense methods.
 AI is a great way to do this. You can even detect and stop new ransomware by keeping protection measures up to date.
Personalizing Cybersecurity TrainingÂ
Many healthcare professionals may rely heavily on their medical training and view cybersecurity as a less important part of their job.
 This is problematic, especially since many medical professionals must exchange patient information securely between multiple parties.
A 2023 study showed 57% of employees in the industry said their work had become more digital. One positive takeaway was that 76% of survey respondents believed data security was their responsibility.
However, it is concerning that 22% say their organization does not strictly enforce cybersecurity protocols.
 Additionally, 31% said they don’t know what to do when data breaches occur. These knowledge gaps highlight the need for cybersecurity training improvements.
Education with AI can be more interesting for students thanks to its increased relevance. One of the challenging things about a work environment like a hospital is that employees’ tech savvy will vary greatly.
 Some people in the industry for decades probably didn’t grow up with computers and the internet in their homes.
 On the other hand, those who have recently graduated and started working life are probably accustomed to using many technologies.
These differences often make it less practical to pursue one-size-fits-all cybersecurity training.
A training program with AI capabilities can gauge someone’s current level of knowledge and then show them the most useful and relevant information.
 It can also detect patterns, identifying cybersecurity concepts that still confuse learners versus those they quickly grasp. Such information can help instructors develop better programs.
AI Can Improve Cybersecurity in HealthcareÂ
These are some of the many ways people can and should consider deploying AI to stop or mitigate the severity of cyberattacks in the healthcare industry.
 This technology does not replace human professionals, but it can provide them with decision support by showing them which real threats need attention first.
