Cybersecurity in Healthcare Research

Background

Confidentiality is considered as one of the key requirements for conducting clinical research which encompasses integral aspects related ethics, legal and practical applications. Researchers are ethically responsible to protect all the personal and medical information of the participants using different tools.

Classically, locked filing cabinets were used in several research departments to ensure security of the participants’ data and research outcomes. However, in the 21st century a novel notion was created to provide electronic solutions for this issue. Cybersecurity represents a revolutionized tool to protect computer systems, networks and data from unauthorized access, breaches, attacks, or damage.

Therefore, research studies have been formulated to investigate the use of cybersecurity in protecting research data, in particular, that involves human participants. The interest in this type of research has increased markedly and this is evident by the number of publications about cybersecurity in the healthcare research (Figure 1).

Given that almost all the research data currently are saved online or in electronic information systems, it is not surprising that there is a surge in the number of publications in this field of research specially in 2020 and beyond (Figure 1).

Designs and protocols

Several tools and applications are currently used in cybersecurity for healthcare research. This includes Security Information and Event Management systems which are designed to aggregate and analyze security event logs from various sources to provide real-time threat detection, incident response, and forensic analysis capabilities (Figure 2).

In addition, Identity and Access Management solutions and Encryption tools are utilized to control user identities, permissions, and access to healthcare research systems and data which enhance the confidentiality and privacy of research participants and data.

Intrusion Detection and Prevention systems are also used to monitor network traffic for suspicious activities or known attack signatures for further protection of research data (Figure 2).

Similarly, Vulnerability Scanners are used to identify security vulnerabilities and weaknesses in healthcare research systems, applications, and network infrastructure (Figure 2).

Selected free full-text articles

• Zelmer J. Cybersecurity in Health: A 21st-Century Imperative. Healthc Policy. 2018 May;13(4):6-10. doi: 10.12927/hcpol.2018.25535. PMID: 30052185; PMCID: PMC6044264. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6044264/
  
• Waddell M. Human factors in cybersecurity: Designing an effective cybersecurity education program for healthcare staff. Healthc Manage Forum. 2024 Jan;37(1):13-16. doi: 10.1177/08404704231196137. Epub 2023 Sep 8. PMID: 37684060. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37684060/
  
• Cartwright AJ. The elephant in the room: cybersecurity in healthcare. J Clin Monit Comput. 2023 Oct;37(5):1123-1132. doi: 10.1007/s10877-023-01013-5. Epub 2023 Apr 24. PMID: 37088852; PMCID: PMC10123010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37088852/
  
• Williams CM, Chaturvedi R, Chakravarthy K. Cybersecurity Risks in a Pandemic. J Med Internet Res. 2020 Sep 17;22(9):e23692. doi: 10.2196/23692. PMID: 32897869; PMCID: PMC7528623. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32897869/
  
• Williams CM, Chaturvedi R, Chakravarthy K. Cybersecurity Risks in a Pandemic. J Med Internet Res. 2020 Sep 17;22(9):e23692. doi: 10.2196/23692. PMID: 32897869; PMCID: PMC7528623. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32897869/