Comprehensive Guide to Healthcare Security: Software and Data Protection Strategies

Healthcare organizations face increasing cybersecurity threats, with data breaches becoming more frequent and advanced. With sensitive patient information like protected health information (PHI) and personally identifiable information (PII) at risk, ensuring effective security and compliance is no longer optional — it’s essential. Cyberattacks on healthcare have spiked dramatically, making healthcare one of the top targeted sectors in recent years.

This guide is aimed to help healthcare service providers and healthtech startups navigate the complex topic of healthcare cybersecurity. In this article, I will: 

• explain why security is so important in healthcare app development
• show the most common security risks for healthcare apps
• explore strategies and best practices for securing both new and existing healthcare applications

Why Healthcare Application Security is Crucial

Healthcare data breaches can have significant consequences, including the exposure of sensitive personal information, costly penalties, and loss of trust. Such incidents can lead to financial losses, legal penalties, and reputational damage. Healthcare was one of the most targeted sectors, with over 124 major breaches in Q1, 2024; during this period of time, healthcare data breaches increased by 53% from Q1, 2023, and were up 69.9% from Q1, 2022.

Some of the largest breaches have involved millions of individuals. Here is the list of some healthcare data breaches which have affected the healthcare industry in recent years. 

The healthcare data breaches in 2022-2024

Based on materials from The HIPPA Journal and  MJH Life Sciences

Healthcare providers are prime targets for cyberattacks due to the high value of medical data on the black market. This makes robust application security a non-negotiable aspect for healthcare service providers, as it helps safeguard sensitive data and maintains compliance with regulations like HIPAA. Failing to comply with these regulations can result in severe fines and loss of credibility.

10 Key Healthcare App Security Risk Factors and Threats

Healthcare apps face numerous security risks and threats that can lead to exposing sensitive patient data. Here are the most common healthcare app security risk factors and threats to consider while developing and maintaining a healthcare system: 

1. Data breaches. Healthcare apps collect and store sensitive patient information, including personal identifiers and medical history. If security measures are inadequate, attackers can exploit vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access, leading to data breaches. 
2. Weak authentication policies. Insufficient or poorly implemented authentication processes, such as using weak passwords or not requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA), can make it easier for unauthorized users to access healthcare apps. Without well-developed authentication procedures, patient data is left vulnerable to attacks like credential theft or brute force attempts.
3. Issues with data transmission. Many healthcare apps transmit sensitive data between users, providers, and servers. If these communications aren’t properly encrypted, hackers can capture data, leading to unauthorized access or manipulation of information. Unencrypted data during transmission is particularly vulnerable to man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks.
4. Insecure data storage. While the app may encrypt data in transit, it’s crucial that data stored locally on devices or servers is also protected. Insecure storage, especially on mobile devices, can lead to unauthorized access if the device is lost, stolen, or compromised by malware.
5. Third-party components and APIs. Many healthcare apps use third-party components, such as libraries or APIs, to enhance functionality. These external elements can introduce vulnerabilities if they aren’t properly secured or updated, opening a pathway for cyberattacks that exploit weaknesses in third-party systems.
6. Outdated software systems. Apps that rely on outdated versions of operating systems or libraries are at risk of being exploited by attackers targeting unpatched flaws. Failing to update an app can leave it exposed to previously discovered security threats.
7. Lack of encryption. Encryption of sensitive information, both at rest and in transit, is critical to protect PHI from being accessed or stolen. However, some healthcare apps fail to fully encrypt stored data, leaving it vulnerable if hackers gain access to the underlying storage system.
8. Social engineering attacks. Even if technical security procedures are in place, users may still fall victim to social engineering attacks such as phishing. Hackers can trick users into revealing their login credentials or other sensitive information, allowing unauthorized access to the healthcare app.
9. Insufficient security testing. Apps that are rushed to market or not adequately tested for security vulnerabilities are more prone to attacks. Lack of penetration testing and vulnerability scanning increases the likelihood of undetected security gaps, leaving the app and its data exposed to potential threats.
10. Compliance violations. Healthcare apps must comply with various data protection regulations, such as HIPAA in the U.S. Failure to meet these regulatory standards risks data breaches and can result in legal penalties and loss of patient trust.

Read also:

HIPAA-compliant Cross-platform healthcare management solution

10 Best Practices to Ensure Healthcare Software Security

With increasing cyber threats, healthcare applications must follow best practices to safeguard protected health information (PHI), prevent unauthorized access, and mitigate vulnerabilities that could lead to data breaches or legal penalties. Some of such best practices are: 

1. Adopt data encryption:  Encrypt all sensitive data, both at rest and in transit, using industry-standard encryption protocols. This ensures that even if data is intercepted or accessed, it remains unreadable to unauthorized users.
2. Implement strong authentication policies: Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to secure user logins. Employ strong password policies and support biometric authentication methods, such as fingerprint or facial recognition, to prevent unauthorized access.
3. Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability testing: Perform frequent security audits, including penetration testing and vulnerability assessments, to identify and address potential security gaps. Continuous monitoring helps detect and respond to emerging threats.
4. Choose secure APIs and third-party integrations: Ensure that all APIs and third-party services integrated into the healthcare software follow strict security protocols. Regularly audit and update these components to prevent vulnerabilities. 
5. Be careful with AI: Careless handling of sensitive data, such as sharing code with AI assistants, can lead to access keys being exposed to other users of these assistants. To mitigate this risk, it’s crucial to avoid storing keys directly in the code. Instead, they should be kept in secure folders within pipelines or encrypted files for better protection.
6. Minimize the data: Limit the collection, storage, and transmission of sensitive data to only what is necessary for the app’s functionality. Reducing the amount of stored data minimizes potential exposure in the event of a breach.
7. Implement automatic session timeouts: Add automatic session timeouts after periods of inactivity. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access if users leave the app open on shared or unsecured devices.
8. Consider the implementation of role-based access control (RBAC). Use role-based access control to restrict access to sensitive information based on user roles. Only authorized personnel should have access to confidential patient data.
9. Consider user education and raise awareness: Train healthcare professionals and users on best security practices, such as recognizing phishing attempts, creating strong passwords, and safeguarding login credentials.
10. Conduct regular software updates: Ensure timely updates for all software components, operating systems, and security patches to close known vulnerabilities and protect the app from evolving threats.

In addition to the best practices mentioned above, pay a lot of attention to HIPAA, GDPR, and CCPA compliance. Ensure compliance with healthcare regulations like CCPA (in California), HIPAA (in the U.S.), and GDPR (in Europe) to protect patient privacy and avoid legal penalties. Implement necessary safeguards to meet these regulatory requirements.

Сompliance requirements 

The European Union has recently adopted the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act which represents a significant milestone in regulating AI technologies. The AI Act is a new regulation that establishes rules for governing artificial intelligence. The goal is to promote the safe and ethical use of AI systems. A crucial aspect of the AI Act is the classification of AI systems based on the level of risk they pose to users. And this can be crucial for healthcare app development. 

Implementing best practices in healthcare software security is essential to protect patient data and maintain trust. By ensuring compliance, encryption, regular audits, and strong authentication, you can mitigate risks, prevent breaches, and uphold regulatory standards, safeguarding sensitive health information in an increasingly demanding and hazardous digital world.

12 Best Methods of Healthcare Data Protection

Data encryption is an essential part of any healthcare organization’s cybersecurity strategy. While it may introduce some additional complexity, encryption secures electronic patient information and protects both your reputation and finances from potential damage. Given the wide availability of affordable solutions, not implementing data encryption is simply no longer justifiable.

Here are some data encryption practices you should consider for your healthcare software: 

1. Use end-to-end encryption for communications: Protect patient-provider communications with end-to-end encryption, ensuring that messages, files, and health data are securely transmitted without being intercepted or altered. End-to-end encryption ensures that data is encrypted from the moment it is transmitted by the sender until it is received by the intended recipient. 
2. Encrypt data at rest: While encrypting data in transit is crucial, data at rest — stored on servers, databases, or local devices — must also be encrypted. Sensitive patient data, such as electronic health records (EHRs), lab results, and medical images, should be stored using robust encryption protocols like AES-256, ensuring that even if a system is compromised, the data remains unreadable without decryption keys.
3. Implement encryption key management: Effective key management is essential for maintaining encryption security. You should use strong cryptographic key generation techniques and store encryption keys in secure hardware security modules (HSMs) or key management systems (KMS). Regular key rotation and updates are recommended to prevent unauthorized access and mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
4. Use encryption for databases: In addition to encrypting data at rest, you should apply database encryption to protect stored information. This involves using encryption algorithms to secure databases that contain patient data, ensuring that even if the database is accessed without authorization, the data remains protected and unintelligible.
5. Consider tokenization for sensitive data: Tokenization is another method that healthcare organizations can use to protect sensitive information. Instead of encrypting the actual data, tokenization replaces sensitive data with unique symbols (tokens) that have no exploitable value. This approach is particularly useful for protecting patient identifiers like Social Security numbers or insurance details.
6. Use transport layer security (TLS): TLS encrypts the communication between healthcare applications and web servers, protecting sensitive information such as login credentials and patient data from being intercepted during transit.
7. Conduct encryption of backup data: Backups are critical for disaster recovery, but they can also be vulnerable if not properly secured. Healthcare organizations should ensure that all backup data, whether stored on-premises or in the cloud, is encrypted using strong encryption standards to prevent unauthorized access in case of a breach.

Even with data encryption in place, it’s important to recognize that other cyber risks and threats may still persist. For instance, data stored on on-premise or in-house servers can be exposed to external threats, especially if the decryption key is stored on a desktop. Additionally, encrypted databases can still be compromised by malware, phishing attacks, or stolen login credentials. These scenarios could allow hackers to bypass encryption and access electronic protected health information (ePHI).

Alongside data encryption, healthcare businesses should implement additional measures, including administrative and physical procedures, to further mitigate risks and protect patients’ electronic information. Some of them include: 

1. Data masking: Data masking involves altering the appearance of sensitive information so that unauthorized users cannot view the original data. Healthcare organizations use this method to protect patient identifiers like names, Social Security numbers, and medical record numbers during data sharing or testing.
2. Regular data security audits: Conducting regular security audits ensures that healthcare systems remain compliant with data protection regulations and industry standards. These audits help identify vulnerabilities, allowing organizations to fix potential weak points before they are exploited.
3. Backup and disaster recovery: Regular backups of encrypted data ensure that, in the event of a breach, system failure, or cyberattack, healthcare data can be quickly restored. A robust disaster recovery plan also mitigates the potential for prolonged data loss.
4. Data anonymization: Data anonymization removes personally identifiable information (PII) from datasets, allowing healthcare organizations to use or share data for research or analysis without exposing patient identities. This protects patient privacy while enabling valuable insights.
5. Secure cloud storage: When using cloud storage, you must ensure that cloud providers comply with HIPAA and other data protection regulations. Encrypting data before it is uploaded and using secure connections protects sensitive information from unauthorized access.

MobiDev’s Experience in Secure Healthcare App Development

We regularly work with the healthcare industry and understand how critical security is for healthcare software development. That’s why we apply the best practices to mitigate known vulnerabilities. Here’s one of our projects that illustrates this.

Success story: HIPAA-compliant cross-platform healthcare management solution

A multibillion-dollar US healthcare enterprise assigned  MobiDev with the task of developing cross-platform mobile and web solutions to integrate patient-doctor interactions and data exchange. The aim was to enhance patient care by providing superior digital services and positioning the company as a leader in advanced healthcare technology. 

How we delivered: 

1. Integrated with the client’s ecosystem and collaborated with the in-house team: Our team worked closely with the client’s in-house team to develop a comprehensive patient and doctor portal, incorporating all necessary features. We also created a management and analytics module to seamlessly integrate these components on a hospital-wide scale. To ensure smooth operations, we synchronized efforts with their team, handling test and anonymized data, and provided a well-defined data structure. 
2. Architected the solution for sensitive healthcare data: To ensure the security and reliability of the product, we utilized HIPAA-compliant Amazon cloud services, which proved to be an optimal solution. For hospitals preferring local servers, we adapted the product to meet their specific requirements in collaboration with their support teams. Data security was prioritized using encrypted RDS for Amazon and protected data transportation and event management. We implemented Encrypted ElastiCache and numerous front-end security features, such as preventing browsers from caching sensitive data like X-ray images and personal patient information. User authentication was secured using OAuth2 and JSON Web Token (JWT) standards.
3. Implemented automation into the development process: We also established continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) to streamline deployment and maintain high-quality standards throughout the development process.

Business outcomes: 

1. Created an effective patient-doctor solution: The development of a comprehensive patient and doctor portal, integrated with a management and analytics module, enabled efficient and streamlined interactions and data exchange across hospital facilities. This integration improved operational efficiency and user experience on a hospital-wide scale.
2. Achieved seamless EHR integration: The successful collaboration with the client’s in-house team and handling of test and anonymized data ensured compatibility with various Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems. This facilitated smoother data management and enhanced the interoperability of healthcare systems.
3. Enhanced data security: Utilizing HIPAA-compliant Amazon cloud services and implementing advanced security measures, such as encrypted RDS and Encrypted ElastiCache, ensured the protection of sensitive healthcare data. Adaptations for local server preferences also provided flexibility and tailored solutions for different hospital environments.
4. Improved deployment and quality assurance: The integration of a well-managed development pipeline, test automation, and continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) processes led to a smooth and transparent delivery of the healthcare application. This approach ensured high-quality standards and efficient deployment, minimizing disruptions and maintaining reliability.

Develop Your Healthcare Application with MobiDev

MobiDev has extensive experience in developing secure, HIPAA-compliant healthcare applications. Our team of experts is well-versed in the complexities of healthcare regulations, including HIPAA in the United States. We follow industry best practices, including strong data encryption, multi-factor authentication, and regular security audits to identify and address potential vulnerabilities. From initial planning to post-launch support, we emphasize privacy, security, and compliance, making sure your healthcare app not only meets regulatory requirements but also delivers a seamless, secure user experience.

Whether you’re a healthcare provider or healtech startup, our team can create custom solutions tailored to your specific needs.