Dissertation topic

Running head: DISSERTATION TOPIC 1

DISSERTATION TOPIC 2

Effects of malware and phishing in Health Information Safety and Security

Recently, the health care industry has emerged to be the most affected sector for cybercrimes attack. Healthcare facilities stores patients' information, which is sensitive to the outside world. This research paper's main objective is to analyze the effects of malware attacks and phishing as far as health information safety and security pertaining to patients is concerned, which is the main topic. Additionally, the research paper is required to give its findings from the research conducted through the use of questionnaires and statistical data since 2013-2020 obtained from peer-reviewed articles. The report will further give recommendations on ways on how these effects of malware attacks and phishing can be mitigated by health care facilities. The report will further emphasize why patients' health information must be protected from cybercriminals or hackers.

Health information of patients is confidential and should be protected against malware attacks and phishing, which are the main types of cybercrimes affecting the sector. Cybercriminals can use the patients' medical information to commit crimes, threaten or harass the patients who are the main victims. As technology is advancing, there have been countless attacks in the health care system by introducing malicious malware attacks and phishing to gain access to desired data. Malware has been introduced to devices connected to the internet countless times. For instance, the entire system has been compromised by providing login credentials to health care providers ("Phishing Attacks Agari," 2020). Some of the recommendations addressed to curb the threats of malware attacks and phishing in the health care system are; the providence of education and training medical staffs on how to recognize malware attacks and phishing attempts, scanning document with antiviruses, providing in-depth security like unique passwords and employment of IT experts in the facilities who will be able to run the electronic patient record system to curb such attacks.

Peer-reviewed articles on this topic include public health, non-information systems, popular trade publications, who found out that every year at most, 5% of hospitals in the world are affected by malware attacks and phishing. The research questions include;

· What are privacy and security measures put in place to ensure a patient's health information is secured from malware and phishing?

· How to improve health information safety and security and adhering to health privacy and keeping in mind the high technological advancement rate?

However, there is an existing gap in the interstate health information exchange network and internal discloser of personal data. Thus, the federal governments need to come up with laws that enhance health information security in the digital world. According to Branch. l et al. (2019), about 40% of health care facilities in the United States have ever faced malware attacks and phishing. The study's purpose is to explore the effects of malware and phishing and how to mitigate the threat.

The research focuses on how malware and phishing have affected the patients' data privacy, safety, and security. The research study targets mainly health care facilities. The study will be conducted through qualitative questionnaires and statistical data from 2013-2020 to help in research. As a software engineer in the healthcare domain, this dissertation relates to my work. The digitalization of healthcare records needs software programs to be developed, which is a software engineer's task. Additionally, interviews with different top management employees in the health care facilities will help propose measures to be put in place to combat malware attacks and phishing effects.

References

Branch, L., Eller, W., Bias, T., McCawley, M., Myers, D., Gerber, B., & Bassler, J. (2019). Trends in malware attacks against United States healthcare organizations, 2016-2017. Global Biosecurity, 1(1).

Harkins, M., & Freed, A. M. (2018). The ransomware assault on the healthcare sector. Journal of Law & Cyber Warfare, 6(2), 148-164.

Phishing Attacks: Top 3 Reasons Healthcare Employees Are Prime Targets | Agari. (, 2020). Retrieved 2 October 2020, from https://www.agari.com/email-security-blog/phishing-attacks-healthcare-employees/