How Penetration Testing Benefits the Healthcare Industry

• Pabitra Kumar Sahoo
• August 12, 2021
• No Comments

A penetration test is a simulated cyber attack against your computer system to check for vulnerabilities. It is a cybersecurity technique organizations use to identify, test and highlight vulnerabilities in their security posture. By using different methodologies, tools and approaches, companies can perform simulated cyber attacks to test the strengths and weaknesses of their existing security systems. Now let us see why and how pen testing is important to the healthcare industry.

What is pen testing?

Penetration Testing is a type of security testing used to uncover vulnerabilities, threats and risks. Mostly from an attacker who could exploit software applications, networks or web applications. The goal is to identify and test all possible security vulnerabilities that are present in the software application. It’s a given that it is quite important for website and app development.

Pen testing is solely security based. And hence its main focus is coding structures to detect any loopholes.  Using penetration testing tools to expose holes in security layer allows testers to address any shortcomings. Before they become critical liabilities, that is.

It reduces loss magnitude associated with successful security breaches and resulting business disruption. When a business experiences a data breach, the costs of containment, recovery, public relations, and fines can quickly add up. Thus, it helps organizations to secure their systems from any attacker which tries to compromise their system. 

How pen testing helps the healthcare industry

It is vital that you examine your environment from the way a hacker would. In order to help protect your networks and any electronic patient health information that you hold.

It all comes down to one question – how is pen testing of use to the healthcare industry? and why? defects in web browsers, OS and server interfaces can allow attackers to gain access to key systems and data. Every security plan is therefore tailored to each individual network component. As a result, penetration testing can often identify many of the weaknesses.

Organizations need to ensure that not only is their data well protected, but also that their staff are fully trained against the growing cyber threat. Applications are being created to deliver service anytime anywhere and connected medical devices are helping experts to deliver their services even from a distance. 

Healthcare applications have sensitive data about patients and their health-related information. Thus, it leads to a major breach. In case of a hacking occurrence in the application. Pen testing helps to make application hack-proof and sustainable in the challenging digital scenario. Therefore, validation and authentication of user log-ins, testing against firewalls, and encrypting user data are some key measures. 

Conclusion

Penetration testing is a reliable method of identifying and eliminating any security loopholes which systems may face. Contact Qualysec for top-notch testing services.