Abschlussarbeit

Bachelor Thesis

PHISHING ATTACKS TARGETING HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS: RISKS, STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS

Kurzfassung / Abstract: Increasing digitalization within the healthcare industry could bring advantages in terms of networking and efficiency, but at the same time, could pose threats to the security of confidential patient data. Phishing attacks, above all, are one of the most common and dangerous threats to IT systems within the healthcare industry. This bachelor thesis will analyze the specific threats of phishing attacks on healthcare systems systematically as well as identify and propose relevant prevention and response measures. The research question is: How can healthcare systems be effectively protected from phishing attacks, and what are the most useful technological, organizational and human steps to reduce the risks? In order to identify this, technological protective steps such as firewalls and multifactor authentication and organizational and human factors including training and awareness-raising measures will be reviewed. The research process includes case studies that are analyzed to identify typical attack patterns and the effectiveness of existing countermeasures. Special focus will be given to analyzing actual phishing attacks in the healthcare industry, for instance, the Magellan Health attack. Combining theoretical frameworks with empirical insights, this thesis formulates policy recommendations that improve IT security in healthcare by systematically addressing human-factor weaknesses, including phishing susceptibility, insufficient training, and inconsistent adherence to security procedures.

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