As cyberthreats continue to impact healthcare organizations, leaders are increasingly turning their focus to cyber resilience efforts, enabling them to respond and recover quickly in the face of a cybersecurity incident. A new report from managed security service provider LevelBlue, formerly AT&T Cybersecurity, found that 61% of surveyed healthcare organizations reported aligning their cybersecurity teams with lines of business, signifying that cyber resilience is increasingly seen as a business imperative.
LevelBlue surveyed 220 healthcare leaders who work in the C-suite or report directly to the C-suite. Nearly a third of respondents said their organizations had suffered a breach in the past 12 months, and nearly half said they were experiencing a significantly higher volume of attacks.
These increased threats and breaches could be the driver behind the increased emphasis on cyber resilience, the report suggested. Nearly 60% of respondents said that leadership roles within their organizations are now measured against cybersecurity key performance indicators.
Despite a positive shift toward incorporating cyber resilience measures into daily operations, security blind spots remain, as exemplified by the steady breach volumes. AI-powered threats and other sophisticated tactics are keeping healthcare cybersecurity leaders watchful.
AI-powered cyberthreats drive need for cyber resilience
Despite making strides in viewing cybersecurity as a business imperative, respondents did not report high levels of confidence when it came to defending against AI-driven threats. Just 29% of respondents said they were prepared for AI-powered threats, even though 41% believed they would be realized.
What’s more, 32% of respondents reported feeling prepared for deepfake attacks, though 49% said they were expecting them.
“AI tools promise healthcare organizations unprecedented levels of efficiency, optimized processes, and enhanced automation,” the report stated.
“But the blazing speed of its evolution — faster than governance and regulations can keep up — is a reason to be cautious.”
The survey results showed that healthcare leaders are still embracing AI — just a third of respondents said they were reluctant to implement AI tools due to cybersecurity ramifications. However, the results also showed low levels preparation for AI-powered cyberattacks.
In addition to AI-driven threats, supply chain visibility remains a weak point. More than half of respondents said they had low to moderate visibility into the software supply chain, but just 19% said that engaging with software suppliers about their security credentials is a priority in the next year.
“With the rising risk of AI-powered cyberattacks and vulnerabilities in the software supply chain, achieving cyber resilience in healthcare is more critical than ever,” said Theresa Lanowitz, chief evangelist of LevelBlue.
“Our research shows that healthcare organizations are no longer viewing cybersecurity as just an IT issue; it’s now a business priority. Still, there is work to be done to properly prepare and protect themselves.”
Jill McKeon has covered healthcare cybersecurity and privacy news since 2021.
