Sensitive Health Data to be Protected by CyberShield

To improve cybersecurity in the healthcare sector, KiberPajzs [‘CyberShield’], which is already working well in the financial sector, will be set up in Hungary. To this end, the Center for Health Management Training and the National Cyber Defense Institute have signed a strategic agreement, the two organizations told MTI on Tuesday.

In their statement, they drew attention to the fact that tens of thousands of particularly sensitive data are generated in the healthcare sector every day. At the same time, the number of attacks on the data assets of healthcare providers is increasing year by year, with extortionist viruses, data theft and the obstruction of continuity of care becoming more and more frequent.

As they wrote, cybersecurity and the protection of personal data are of paramount importance for patients, which is why Lajos Szabó, Director of the National Cyber Defense Institute of the National Security Service ( NMSZ NKI) and Miklós Szócska, Director of the Semmelweis University Center for Health Management Training, have signed a strategic agreement.

The primary goal of the cooperation is to bring the already excellent CyberShield in the financial sector to the healthcare sector. In their joint statement, they stressed that joint action, information and education of institutions, health professionals and the public, and the strengthening of data awareness are essential to protect health data.

Lajos Szabó stressed that the health sector is a priority client of the National Cyber Defence Institute. At the same time, he warned that the increased digitalization in this area also increases the exposure of actors to cyber-attacks, and therefore increased attention must be paid to protection, bearing in mind that one of the most important elements of protection is the human being, the user.

"Developing security awareness is therefore of central importance, for which the NSZ NKI has found a competent and committed partner in the Semmelweis University Management Training Center," the NSZ NKI Director emphasized at the signing of the cooperation.

Miklós Szócska called the protection of health data assets, the improvement of cyber security and the development of information security awareness among sector leaders, sector employees and patients a major challenge.