Cybersecurity in health sector: a systematic review of the literature

Abstract

Currently, health centers are being affected by various cyberattacks putting at risk the confidential information of their patients and the organization because they do not have a plan or tools to help them mitigate these cyberattacks, which is important to know what measures to take to protect the privacy of personal data. The present work was carried out under a systematic literature review, which aims to show the importance of cybersecurity in the health sector knowing which tools are the most used and efficient to prevent a cyberattack. A systematic review of 301 articles was carried out, 79 of which are aligned with the objective set, fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The search for information was carried out in the Scopus and Dimensions databases. The analysis carried out has resulted in good information that was compiled for the development of this topic, being favorable thanks to the different research of different authors.

The need for cybersecurity self-evaluation in healthcare

“…The COVID-19 pandemic exposed a glaring vulnerability in healthcare cybersecurity: the unpreparedness for a large-scale shift to remote work. These findings align with the observations of Herrera et al [36]. Healthcare organisations, forced to adapt quickly, lacked the planning and the cybersecurity measures necessary to secure this new environment.…”

“…Building upon the vulnerabilities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic [36,37], which focused on the need for long-term planning and leveraging best practices from other sectors, a systematic review conducted by Nifakos et al [25] aimed to identify recurring human behaviours that weaken the cybersecurity position of healthcare organisations. Human factors emerge as a recurring theme in the healthcare cybersecurity literature reviewed for this paper [34][35][36]38].…”

“…Vulnerabilities, including technological advancements, human factors like staff unawareness, and inadequate investment in cybersecurity measures, have been observed in recent literature [25,34,35,38]. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the sector's unpreparedness for a large-scale shift to remote work, exposing weaknesses in planning and security awareness [36,37]. However, existing research often focuses on global trends, with limited exploration of how these challenges manifest and require solutions in specific healthcare system locations.…”

The role of cybersecurity in facilitating sustainable healthcare solutions: Overcoming challenges to protect sensitive data

“…The review emphasizes the importance of adopting a unified approach to cybersecurity, which involves enforcing policies, modifying behaviors, and embracing innovative practices to combat cyberattacks effectively. Such an approach requires collaboration among all stakeholders in the healthcare sector, including clinicians, IT professionals, and policymakers, to ensure the privacy and security of patient data (Herrera et al, 2023). The protection of health data in the digital age requires a multifaceted approach to cybersecurity, combining technical safeguards with human behavioral interventions.…”