Verizon PHI Data Breach Report Highlights Challenges Of Security

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

Healthcare has been grappling with the difficulty of maintaining the delicate balance of information access and security for a long time now, and the findings of the inaugural Verizon Protected Health Information Data Breach Report underscore the fact that security patient data is an expansive undertaking. The report found 90 percent of industries have experienced a PHI data breach, including breaches of health insurance information from personnel files or breaches occurring outside of traditional healthcare settings.

The research demonstrates the type of data targeted and where the data is stored and processed determines the tactics of hackers. Perhaps surprisingly, the study found that in cases of PHI hacks, the number of external and internal actors is approximately the same, indicating a large percentage of insider threats.

“Protected Health Information is like gold for today’s cybercriminal,” explained Suzanne Widup, lead author of the report. “What makes our findings even more troubling is that many sectors — especially those outside of the healthcare industry — aren’t even aware that they hold this type of data. The ramifications of stole medical information can have significant consequences for the safety and well-being of the patient.”

The study highlights that while hackers are targeting the personable identifiable information (PII) in attacks, the medical record data can also become vulnerable. “This data can be extremely damaging in the hands of those wanting to commit various types of financial fraud,” Widup explained.

The full report will be released in December. The report was based on data from 25 countries, 392 million records, and 1,931 incidents. It examined PHI data breaches across the healthcare industry, including ambulatory services, hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, and social assistance across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific regions.