Keys to Zero-Trust Security
An effective zero-trust security approach must account for people, processes and technology within an organization. Some healthcare IT leaders focus mostly on the technology, but this is a mistake. Some problems can be solved with technology tools, but others require different solutions. For example, effective implementation of the governance and lifecycle management aspects of zero trust requires more than technology tools. People and processes must be carefully considered.
Biomed and clinical teams that deploy these devices must work together to secure medical technology. They have to put processes in place not only to improve patient care but also to establish security capabilities such as vulnerability management. Effective vulnerability management will distinguish between nonemergency vulnerabilities that should be patched on a schedule versus situations where an active exploit has already been deployed in the wild and must be remediated immediately. By building out a thoughtful policy, healthcare organizations can respond to different scenarios in a standardized fashion.
READ MORE: Find out zero trust lessons health IT teams can learn from the federal government.
Healthcare organizations need to understand that zero trust is not a security destination but rather a framework that they must work toward continuously. IT and security teams should regularly assess the organization’s security status to understand its posture, identify gaps and build out a strategic roadmap for improvement.
This roadmap will depend on and reflect the organization’s budget and business goals. Effective assessments will help the organization gain a clear understanding of its needs and prioritize security initiatives for maximum value.
It’s also important to understand that an organization’s zero-trust roadmap will change over time. New developments in medicine, technology and security threats will emerge and alter the landscape, as well as the organization’s priorities. The number of devices and the wide scope of their use will only increase going forward. To secure them effectively, healthcare organizations should focus on their security strategy and how to apply a zero-trust framework within it.
This article is part of HealthTech’s MonITor blog series.
