Dive Brief:
- Symantec has compiled its eight predictions for 2016 and it doesn't look good for the healthcare industry.
- The company point to smartwatches and other devices, including Apple devices, as targets for security breaches and malware. Ransomware is on the rise; attacks against infrastructure will increase as will cyberattacks on health insurance organizations.
- In response to the increased security concerns, the company says encryption is key for healthcare, biometric authentication will grow significantly, and gamification can be used for user and consumer training to create better passwords and avoid phishing scams.
Dive Insight:
The healthcare industry ranked in the top three biggest cyberattacks this year with the Anthem breach at the top (80 million members affected), followed by the Premera Blue Cross breach (11 million members affected) and the Excellus BlueCross BlueShield breach (10 million members affected).
Symantec predicted as more consumers buy smartwatches and fitness trackers, security will need to be improved - especially with an estimated 30 billion devices connected by 2020. Apple products will be targeted with specific malware designed to infect devices running Mac OS X or IOS.
The company says the federal regulations require healthcare organizations to respond to breaches and issue public notifications makes it more attractive for data breaches and fraud. It also predicts an increase in biometric sensors in devices and the adoption of biometric authentication frameworks. According to Symantec, "Biometrics can finally answer the 'what's in it for me' question that consumers have been asking."
The global healthcare cyber security market is expected to reach $10.85 billion by 2022, according to a report by Grand View Research, as previously reported in Healthcare Dive.