As the world becomes ever increasingly digitised with each passing day, concerns surrounding data privacy and security are likewise increasing. The Social Care sector is no exception to this, as more and more Care Providers are adopting digital care planning solutions in the form of care management and planning software. Join us for this blog as we explore the importance of cybersecurity and data protection within the changing world of Digital Social Care.  

What does “Cybersecurity” mean?

“Cybersecurity”, although it is a relatively new term, has rapidly become relevant in our modern lives, with its importance and the role that it plays in our lives only continues to grow each and every day.  

While the term itself is ever-broadening in scope, Cybersecurity, broadly speaking, refers to “the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks.” The “systems” in this case refer to digital systems, such as a computer, phone, or tablet device’s operating system (the software that allows them to run programmes and apps).  

Just as businesses and organisations throughout history have had security staff on-site to protect against theft of stock or property, organisations today require the right cybersecurity resources to defend themselves against cyberattacks, particularly given that they are on the rise. 

What is a “Cyberattack”?

“What exactly is a cyberattack?”, you might be asking yourself. A “cyberattack” refers to “any intentional effort to steal, expose, alter, disable, or destroy data, applications or other assets through unauthorized access to a network, computer system or digital device.” Put simply, a cyberattack is like an attempted assault or theft conducted by digital means. 

As more and more elements of our daily lives morph into digitised forms, whether that be through work, entertainment, leisure activities etc., so too increases the number and types of avenues through which we can become victims of cyberattack by so-called “cybercriminals”. The greater the reliance our lives place on digital devices, the greater the risk of our lives being interfered with by cyberattacks and cybercrime.

Why do Social Care Providers Need to Worry about Cybersecurity and Cyberattacks?

As a Social Care Provider, you access and store vast volumes of highly personal, sensitive information related to the people that your organisation supports. This information is of course necessary to have as a Provider, as it informs not only your care planning and management, but it also enables your staff to give the people that you support the highest quality of care possible.  

Indeed, the volume of information stored by Providers grows each and every day, as new items such as care delivery logs and support notes are created for the people that you support with each passing day. Not only is the information of supported people stored, but also that of your employees, their roles, their personal information etc. 

Given the ever-growing volume of data that Social Care Providers store, it shouldn’t come as too great a surprise then, that the Health and Social Care sector is among the top targets for cyberattacks. There have been growing instances of cyberattacks targeting the sector in recent years, such as the 2021 HSE cyberattack, which not only caused massive disruption to vital services, but was also said to have cost Irish taxpayers over €101 million.

This incident highlights not only the financial costs that can arise from cyberattacks, as it also resulted in the leaking (unauthorised access and sharing of) the personal information of over 100,000 people, as well as causing mass disruption of services across an already strained sector. 

What are the Costs of Cyberattacks for Care Providers?

So, you might ask then, what are the costs of a cyberattack to businesses and organisations? Cyberattacks can bring with them significant costs, and those costs can extend far beyond that of just financial ones.  

The financial cost alone of cyber attacks can be immense. One study has claimed that the average cost of a cyber attack to businesses of all sizes is approximately $200,000. Unlike traditional theft of physical assets or wealth, cybertheft is far harder to track down, and the likelihood of recovery of those stolen assets is also far lower. 

However, the cost of cyber attacks for Social Care Providers in particular, can stretch far beyond that of strictly finances.  

The reputational damage and loss incurred by businesses as a result of cyber attacks can be massive. Their clients can often lose faith in the security of their information and the scrutiny with which their information is stored following a data breach, driving them to end their relationships with the business, resulting in losses for the business that can be significant. In a sector like Social Care, the handling and safeguarding of sensitive data is of particular importance to clients, which we will discuss in further detail shortly. 

Another cost to be considered, of course, is the disruption of care and support services for the people supported by an organisation. If staff, whose time can already be under strain on a normal working day, is then further strained by the absence of the functionality of the system that they use to deliver and record care plans, then the people that they support will suffer as a result. Tasks made easy by digital care plans, such as staff handovers, will be made more cumbersome as a result, reducing the time that staff get to spend directly with the people that they support.

Types of Common Cyberattacks

Storing information, regardless of whether that information is stored in a paper or digital format, brings with it inherent risk. As sensitive information becomes an increasingly valuable commodity, so too grows the demand for it from parties who do not have the legal rights to access it, as the evidence shows, with being said that a new cyberattack occurs every 44 seconds today, and the frequency of such attacks are only likely to increase going forward.

Cyberattacks are a complex matter, originating from many sources and coming in various forms. Here is a quick overview of the forms of cyberattack that you’re most likely to encounter in your everyday life: 

Phising

You have likely already encountered phishing, even outside of your work setting. Phishing scams involve receiving communications (usually emails) from seemingly reputable and legitimate sources, such as an established and well-known business that provides consumer goods, like Amazon, and those sources telling you to click on a link to enter personal information or payment info. These fraudulent sources will then take your credentials, such as credit card information, and carry out transactions without your authorization, effectively creating fraud. If you do not recognise an email address or phone number that is asking you to click on a link, then the rule is simple – delete that email/message and block the sender. You also should report that instance to the relevant authority, whether that be your employer, your bank etc.

Malware

Malware is a form of malicious software that installs itself on a user’s device, typically after clicking on links contained within suspect emails. Malware most commonly takes the form of spyware, ransomware, viruses and worms. Once installed on a system, malware can do the following: Restrict or totally block access to key components of the network Install additional harmful software –  Install spyware, which steals information from the data on the devices hard drive, and does so covertly Damage and disrupt components of your device, rendering the system unusable 

How you can Protect your Organisation against Cyberattacks?

The world of cybersecurity and data protection can be complex in scope, but we’re going to give you a few helpful tips that you can implement so as to help prevent your organisation falling victim to cybercrime.  

• Enable data encryption on mobile devices and removable media, such as USB sticks and external hard rives, so as to help prevent unauthorised access by people in the case of loss or theft. Data encryption makes it so that only identified authorised users can gain access to the data contained on those devices.  

• All organisations should ensure that they encrypt the channels that they use to communicate, both internally and externally. If your communications remain unencrypted, then you will become a vulnerable target for any cybercriminals seeking to steal private information. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are an easy to access and implement means of providing protection to your digital communications and are available from a range of companies across the world. 

• Controlling who can access what data in your organisation is vital to ensuring that inappropriate data access and manipulation does not occur. iplanit allows Managers and Administrators of Care Providers to set different permissions for its staff and users, ensuring that people will only ever see that information which they are permitted to access. iplanit also allows administrators overview of staff activity on the network, ensuring accountability for all iplanit users.  

• One of the major bonuses of implementing a Digital Care Planning system is that you are no longer solely reliant on storing sensitive data in one location. Digital data is also far simpler and cost-effective to create copies of than paper-based records. Saving and storing the data that your business holds in different locations (digital locations, such as SharePoint, OneDrive, Google Drive etc.) minimises the risk of operations being brought to a halt in the event of a cyberattack which causes loss or destruction of data.  
• If your organisation still has devices that were previously in use, but are no longer used, then you should ensure that all information and data stored on them is permanently deleted before disposing of them. This includes logging out of all accounts, such as email and social media. Failure to do so could result in account breaches, leaving the door open to cyberattacks to take place. This process of deleting data so that is permanently unrecoverable is referred to as “device sanitization”, and is a widely encouraged practice.
• Implementing basic cybersecurity training for all staff members is a basic, yet effective means of protecting your organisation against cyberattacks and cybercrime. Courses in this area are widely available, and while on the surface they may seem like an additional cost, they are more so an investment, particularly given the costs that can arise from falling victim to cyberattacks, as discussed previously. As the saying goes, “Prevention is better than cure.”.

Practice Person Centred Care with a Secure Care Planning Software that you can Trust

Cybersecurity is a complex subject, and it can become rather expensive for Care Providers to build their own complex cybersecurity capabilities, particularly given how precious funding can be to come by within the sector. While the measures we have so far discussed are relatively cheap and easy to implement, higher-end cybersecurity solutions can be very costly.  

Aspirico’s iplanit person centred care software is built upon a suite of top class security features and leading cybersecurity accreditations, including ISO270001 certification, NHS DSPT compliance and Cyber Essentials Certified (IAMSE). ISO 27001 is recognised as the international standard for managing security and data privacy to best practice levels. You can learn more about Aspirico and iplanit’s security credentials here.

If you want to implement Person Centred Care with peace of mind within your organisation, look no further than iplanit. You can arrange a demo by filling out the form below, or by emailing us – enquiry@aspirico.com .