Only one in five healthcare employees confident in cybersecurity skills amid rising phishing attacks in Finland

Research indicates that only one in five healthcare employees feels fully confident in their cybersecurity skills. However, employees play a crucial role in safeguarding sensitive patient information. A single employee falling for a phishing scam can jeopardize not just patient safety, but also the confidential data of thousands.

The most serious incident to occur was the data breach at the psychotherapy center Vastaamo. Fortunately, such events are rare, and lessons have been learned. Nonetheless, phishing attempts are on the rise and are becoming increasingly sophisticated, necessitating ongoing training and preparedness.

The healthcare sector is particularly vulnerable to phishing attacks due to its large workforce and the hectic pace of work. Common tactics include emails masquerading as legitimate messages, prompting employees to log in to seemingly official portals. Perttu Halonen, a specialist at the Cyber Security Centre of Finland, notes that criminals rely on employees not being able to suspiciously scrutinize every email.

In South Ostrobothnia, Eija Louko, the coordinator for the social services situation center, and Marjaana Rajasaari-Lahti, the head of social and crisis services, have encountered scam messages on their work phones but managed to avoid falling victim. They express a cautious awareness of cybersecurity and participate in annual training. They also rely on the area’s cybersecurity department to implement robust protocols.

The importance of cybersecurity in healthcare is underscored by funding from the Finnish National Emergency Supply Agency for national training programs. These initiatives aim to enhance collaboration between healthcare professionals and IT staff.

Despite the significant rise in cyberattacks—over 80% in Europe this year—many in the healthcare field still regard cybersecurity as an IT issue rather than a collective responsibility, a notion project manager Elina Suni emphasizes must change.