In the realm of healthcare, where the stakes involve not just the operational efficiency of providers but the very well-being and privacy of patients, the challenge of maintaining robust cybersecurity cannot be overstated. This sector, entrusted with some of the most sensitive personal information, faces unique pressures and vulnerabilities. The widespread reliance on legacy technology, as highlighted by a 2022 survey [1] pinpointing it as a top security challenge, is not merely a technological oversight but a critical fault line in the defence against cyber threats. Nearly three-quarters of healthcare providers [1] operate on these outdated information systems, navigating a precarious balance between delivering care and safeguarding patient data.
The complexity deepens when considering the sheer volume of applications in use within healthcare organisations. A 2024 MuleSoft report [2] shows that the average organisation uses 991 unique applications, many of which are legacy systems, increasing not only the technical complexity but also increasing the cyber risk exponentially. Each legacy system, with its own set of vulnerabilities, becomes a potential entry point for cyber attacks, making the task of securing patient data an ever-evolving battle against an invisible adversary.
This scenario is further complicated by the healthcare sector’s inherent characteristics: a high turnover of staff, the critical need for uninterrupted access to patient data, and stringent regulatory requirements. These factors, combined with outdated systems, create a perfect storm for vulnerabilities. The reliance on legacy technology, therefore, is not just a matter of outdated hardware or software; it’s a symptom of deeper systemic challenges that healthcare organisations face in upgrading their IT infrastructure. This blog post seeks to unpack the multifaceted security implications of legacy and out-of-support systems in healthcare, exploring how they serve as Achilles’ heels in the quest to protect patient information against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
The Security Risks of Legacy Systems
The continued reliance on legacy systems in healthcare introduces significant cyber security risks. By their very nature, these outdated technologies lack the advanced security features of their modern counterparts, making them particularly vulnerable to cyber threats.
Specific Vulnerabilities of Legacy Systems:
- Unpatched Vulnerabilities: Many legacy systems operate on software that is End of Life and no longer receives regular security updates, leaving them exposed to exploitation of known vulnerabilities.
- Inadequate Encryption Standards: These systems often rely on obsolete encryption methods, compromising the security of data in transit and at rest.
- Limited Access Controls: The absence of modern access control mechanisms in older systems can lead to unauthorised access to sensitive information.
As data protection standards such as HIPAA, GDPR, and The Privacy Act evolve, legacy systems fall increasingly behind due to their inherent limitations. They struggle to support essential security measures, including data encryption, detailed audit logs, timely patching, and secure authentication protocols, thus failing to comply with regulatory requirements. This compliance gap not only heightens the risk of data breaches but also exposes healthcare organisations to significant legal and financial repercussions.
Challenges of Integration
legacy systems amplify a healthcare organisation’s overall attack surface in two critical ways:
- Complexity in Security Management: The diversity of legacy systems complicates security management, making it challenging for organisations to apply uniform protection measures effectively across all platforms.
- Integration Challenges: Efforts to integrate modern security solutions with legacy systems often fail due to compatibility issues, inadvertently creating gaps in the organisation’s defence infrastructure.
Strategies for Mitigating Risks with Legacy Systems
Healthcare organisations can significantly reduce the risks posed by legacy systems through a multifaceted strategy that begins with adopting a phased approach to system upgrades. This method involves identifying and prioritising systems crucial to patient care for early upgrades, testing new technologies through pilot projects to ensure they meet or exceed requirements, and then implementing these upgrades in stages to minimise operational disruptions and manage resources effectively.
Concurrently, additional security measures play a crucial role in safeguarding these systems during the transition. The deployment of agentless virtual patching offers an immediate and non-intrusive solution to shield vulnerabilities from exploitation, effectively buying time for more comprehensive updates. Additionally, the implementation of network segmentation isolates legacy systems, reducing the risk of widespread breaches, while enhanced monitoring and detection capabilities allow for real-time threat identification and response. Together, these strategies provide a robust framework for managing the cybersecurity risks associated with legacy technologies in healthcare, ensuring a smoother transition to more secure and efficient systems without compromising the quality of patient care.
Final thoughts
As the healthcare sector navigates the complex landscape of safeguarding patient privacy and well-being against threats magnified by outdated legacy systems, the importance of a robust and strategic response becomes increasingly clear. This entails not just the technical upgrades of antiquated infrastructure but also a comprehensive approach that includes embracing agentless virtual patching to shield vulnerabilities without disruption, and fostering a vigilant, security-conscious organisational culture. Prioritising system upgrades, leveraging innovative security solutions, and cultivating a workforce aware of cyber security’s critical role in patient care are essential steps toward mitigating risks. By addressing the vulnerabilities of legacy systems with strategic insight and adapting to the evolving cyber threat landscape with diligence, the healthcare sector can safeguard patient data and wellbeing.
Citations
[1] https://www.himss.org/sites/hde/files/media/file/2022/01/28/2021_himss_cybersecurity_survey.pdf
