64,000 Additional Patients Impacted by Omnicell Data Breach – What is Your Data Breach Action Plan?

In April 2022, Omnicell reported a data breach affecting nearly
62,000 patients. The company has revealed that the incident has
impacted an additional 64,000 individuals. This brings the total
number of patients affected to over 126,000.

Will you be the next victim like Omnicell? If you are
overlooking the importance of data protection, attackers can get
you in no time.

Explore the impact of the data
breach^[1]
on the healthcare sector and what preventive measures can be taken
against such attacks.

Omnicell Announced Data Breach

Founded in 1992, Omnicell is a leading provider of medication
management solutions for hospitals, long-term care facilities, and
retail pharmacies. On May 4, 2022, Omnicell’s IT systems and
third-party cloud services were affected by ransomware attacks
which may lead to data security
concerns^[2]
for employees and patients. While it is still early in the
investigation, this appears to be a severe breach with potentially
significant consequences for the company.

Omnicell began informing individuals whose information may have
been compromised on August 3, 2022. Hackers may be able to access
and sell patient-sensitive information, such as social security
numbers, due to the time delay between the breach and the company’s
report of affected patients.

The type of information that may be exposed are

• Credit card information
• Financial information
• Social security numbers
• Driver’s license numbers
• Health insurance details

Healthcare Industry is the Prime Target of
Cyberattacks

The Omnicell Data Breach was not the only cyber-attack targeting
healthcare institutions. Even Oklahoma City Indian Clinic (OKCIC)
was hit by ransomware, where 40,000 people’s medical records were
taken.

The healthcare industry is one of the most targeted sectors
globally, with attacks doubling year over year. And these costs are
measured in millions or even billions of dollars – not to mention
increased risks for patients’ privacy (and reputation).

According to FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center last year, the
public health industry is the most attacked sector by ransomware
attacks. The cost of recovering from a ransomware attack can be as
much as $1.85 million^[3], the second highest
across all industries.

This is due to the sensitive nature of the data that healthcare
organizations collect and store. Healthcare professionals need data
for proper care, so two-factor authentication and zero-trust
defense tactics aren’t always feasible. Attackers are attracted to
this data because it is highly valuable. As a result, healthcare
organizations must be extra cautious in their efforts to protect
themselves from cyber-attacks.

In addition to traditional cybersecurity measures, healthcare
organizations should consider investing in a next-generation
security solution like AppTrana^[4]to prevent attacks before
it happens.

What’s Next? How Can You Protect your Institutions from
Data Breaches?

Here are a few strategies that could have prevented the Omnicell
data breach and protected the patient’s private data:

1. Filter Incoming Emails: Most ransomware attacks depend
   on feeding the malware variant through malicious traffic
   distribution. One way to prevent these incidents is by investing in
   a Web Application Firewall. It proactively blocks new threats and
   ensures defenses in real-time.
2. Ensure your software is Up-to-date: It is important to
   establish regular assessments of your critical applications and
   servers to confirm that you are running on the latest
   software.
3. Evaluate your Security Systems: It is important to
   comprehensively scan the endpoint security systems to find and fix
   the vulnerabilities which could open doors for attackers.
4. Establish Regular Backups of Important Data: The best
   way to mitigate ransomware attacks is to be prepared. This means
   you should frequently back up your data and make copies of the same
   both on the cloud and on an offsite location.
5. Enforce Zero Trust Policy: The need for a “Zero Trust”
   policy is increasingly important as technology advances. With so
   many new devices, people, and partners accessing your network or
   data, it’s crucial that you establish trust policies before letting
   them in.

Encryption: The best way to protect healthcare data is to encrypt
it. Encryption ensures that even if data is stolen, it will be
unusable to anyone without the proper key. Healthcare organizations
must prioritize encryption to safeguard patient information and
maintain compliance with industry regulations.

The Closure

It can be a tough time to find the right balance between
offering high-quality healthcare services, implementing an advanced
cyber security protocol, and protecting patient data. However,
reputation damage due to data breaches is expensive and
irreversible; you must be more prepared to avoid threats to your
infrastructure.

Since cyberattacks are increasingly sophisticated, getting
expert support is crucial to minimize disruption and ensure the
safety of your employees’ and patients’ data.