Cybersecurity in Aged Care & Healthcare: Why It Matters Now More Than Ever
Aged care and healthcare organisations are prime targets for cybercriminals, making cybersecurity an urgent priority. These sectors store vast amounts of sensitive patient data, rely on connected medical devices, and often operate with outdated systems, making them highly vulnerable to cyberattacks. So, how can we go about mitigating risk in health and aged care sectors? The team at Trusted Aged Care Services take a look!
To protect staff, residents, and patients, organisations must take proactive steps to secure their networks. Three key strategies for better protection include:
✔️ Ensuring visibility and control of all devices connected to the network
✔️ Regularly updating systems to patch security vulnerabilities
✔️ Segmenting the network to prevent widespread attacks
As cyber threats continue to rise, healthcare and aged care providers must prioritise strong security measures to safeguard their operations.
How COVID-19 Changed Digital Technology in Healthcare
The COVID-19 pandemic put immense pressure on healthcare and aged care providers, forcing rapid digital adoption to ensure continuity of care. While these advancements improved efficiency and patient outcomes, they also created new cybersecurity challenges.
The Rising Cybersecurity Risks Post-COVID
🔹 Increased reliance on digital records, telehealth, and connected medical devices
🔹 Surge in remote work, leading to unsecured laptops, tablets, and mobile devices connecting to corporate networks
🔹 Outdated devices still running on legacy operating systems (OS), increasing vulnerabilities
🔹 Cloud adoption improving visibility but expanding the attack surface for hackers
Many healthcare and aged care facilities now operate with a mix of cloud and legacy systems, making security updates difficult. Since mission-critical devices cannot afford downtime, updates and patches are often delayed—leaving vulnerabilities open to exploitation.
The result? Cybercriminals have more opportunities than ever to breach networks. If these risks aren’t addressed, organisations could face data breaches, financial loss, and disruptions to essential care services.
The Move Towards Aged Care 2.0 – A Digital Future with Cyber Risks
The aged care sector is undergoing a major digital transformation, often referred to as Aged Care 2.0. This shift towards a more connected, technology-driven industry offers many benefits, including:
✅ Better resident care through smart monitoring devices
✅ Improved communication between healthcare providers, families, and residents
✅ Increased efficiency in managing medical records and appointments
However, with increased digitalisation comes greater cybersecurity risks. Cloud-based solutions improve device visibility and control, but they also expand potential entry points for cybercriminals.
Additionally, many aged care facilities rely on multiple siloed systems, combining:
🔹 Cloud-based applications for scheduling and communication
🔹 Legacy software that may no longer receive security updates
🔹 Unsecured personal devices connecting to corporate networks
Without proper security measures, these vulnerabilities can be exploited by hackers, leading to data theft, ransomware attacks, and operational disruptions.
Mitigating Risk in Aged Care & Healthcare Organisations
1. Gain Full Visibility & Control Over All Connected Devices
Many healthcare networks lack visibility over every device that connects, creating security blind spots. Outdated and unpatched devices are common in hospitals and aged care homes, making them easy targets for cybercriminals.
💡 Solution: Implement real-time monitoring tools to:
✔️ Identify all connected devices on the network
✔️ Track what OS they are running and whether they need updates
✔️ Detect suspicious activity before it becomes a serious breach
2. Implement Regular System Updates & Patch Management
One of the biggest cybersecurity risks is the failure to update software and operating systems. Cybercriminals exploit known vulnerabilities in outdated software, allowing them to access networks easily.
💡 Solution:
✔️ Automate software updates and security patches across all devices
✔️ Upgrade legacy systems when possible or apply additional security layers
✔️ Restrict access to unsupported software that may expose the network to threats
3. Segment Networks to Mitigate Risk & Contain Cyberattacks
Network segmentation is a powerful way to limit the impact of cyberattacks. Instead of allowing all devices and users to access the same network, organisations should divide their systems into separate, secure sections.
💡 4 Key Benefits of Network Segmentation:
1️⃣ Improved Security – Prevents cybercriminals from moving between network segments.
2️⃣ Controlled Access – Limits which users and devices can access sensitive areas.
3️⃣ Better Containment – Reduces the impact of a breach by confining it to a smaller section.
4️⃣ Threat Detection – Logs and monitors network activity for suspicious behaviour.
This approach ensures that even if one device is compromised, hackers won’t have full access to the entire system.
The Future of Aged Care & Cybersecurity: A Call to Action
The rapid shift towards Aged Care 2.0 means that cybersecurity must be a priority for healthcare and aged care organisations. As cyber threats grow, facilities must implement strong security measures to protect patient data, residents, staff, and critical care services.
Key Takeaways for Stronger Cybersecurity in Aged Care & Healthcare:
✅ Full device visibility & control – Know what’s connected to your network.
✅ Regular software updates – Patch vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
✅ Network segmentation – Limit cybercriminals’ access if a breach occurs.
✅ Advanced threat detection – Identify and respond to cyber risks proactively.
By taking these proactive steps, aged care providers can move confidently into the digital future—ensuring a secure, efficient, and patient-first approach to healthcare.