Choosing the Suitable MSP for Healthcare Organizations' Security Requirements
Partnering with Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) is becoming increasingly crucial for healthcare organizations, especially in the face of a growing cybersecurity skills gap and the vulnerability of the industry to cyberattacks.
Expertise and Talent Acquisition
MSSPs offer a significant advantage to healthcare organizations by providing a team of experienced security professionals. This is particularly beneficial for organizations facing staffing shortages and talent competition [1]. By offering "fractional value," clients gain the expertise of multiple security experts for the cost of one employee [1].
Cybersecurity Threat Mitigation
MSSPs play a vital role in protecting healthcare organizations from the constant barrage of cyberattacks, such as data breaches and ransomware attacks [1]. They assist in identifying and addressing vulnerabilities in legacy systems and networks, which are common in healthcare infrastructure [1].
Compliance and Regulatory Support
MSSPs have in-depth knowledge of regulatory requirements, including HIPAA in the U.S., and can document compliance with these standards [3]. This helps healthcare organizations meet strict compliance demands and can provide assurance to third-party partners and insurers [3].
Cost Efficiency and Predictable Budgeting
MSSPs offer cost savings by providing cybersecurity capabilities at a lower cost than building an in-house security team [3]. They shift security spending from Capex to Opex, allowing for more predictable budgeting and accounting advantages [3].
Continuous Monitoring and Incident Response
MSSPs provide round-the-clock security operations, which can be expensive for small to mid-sized organizations to maintain internally [3]. They offer incident response services, such as threat hunting and endpoint detection, helping to minimize downtime and protect patient care services [1].
Infrastructure Modernization and Management
By outsourcing security services, healthcare organizations can focus on core business operations and modernizing their infrastructure without the burden of managing security systems [2]. MSSPs can help manage and monitor IT systems, ensuring that infrastructure is up-to-date and secure, which is crucial for healthcare organizations relying on advanced medical technologies [2].
Risk Reduction and Business Continuity
MSSPs help reduce the risk of data breaches and cyberattacks, enhancing business continuity by minimizing downtime and disruptions [2]. They provide comprehensive protection against emerging threats, ensuring that healthcare services remain operational and resilient [2].
In conclusion, partnering with MSSPs allows healthcare organizations to bolster their cybersecurity posture, manage infrastructure more efficiently, and comply with regulatory requirements, all while reducing costs and accessing specialized expertise.
However, it's important to note that response is not the same as remediation, and organizations need to determine in advance what remediation tasks are the responsibility of the MSSP and which should fall to the health system [4]. Centralized logging ingests incident logs from various threat monitoring tools, providing a single view of where incidents occur and how they're related [5].
During an attack, managed detection and response is crucial, with the ideal MSSP acting as an extension of the cybersecurity team [6]. MSPs can improve data governance for healthcare organizations [7], and they help healthcare organizations modernize infrastructure [8]. Customizing engagements for a brand-new tool should only be at the tail end of the process, as it shouldn't drive foundational strategy [9]. Gartner notes that MSSPs are designed to reduce the number of operational security personnel an enterprise needs to hire, train, and retain [10]. MSPs can make IT departments more efficient [11].
- In the realm of healthcare, MSSPs can provide essential support in managing medical-conditions related data by ensuring robust cybersecurity measures are in place to protect sensitive patient information from cyberattacks.
- The integration of technology and cybersecurity expertise offered by MSSPs is not limited to healthcare; they can also contribute to the advancement of science by safeguarding critical research data from potential threats.
