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    According to Andrew Jahnke, founder and chief technologist for managed IT and custom cloud service provider RainTech, there is no such thing as being “too small” to be a target for hackers.

    All healthcare organizations are susceptible to cyberattackers seeking to exploit weaknesses in the security of a computer network.

    Ultimately, preventing a cyberattack is much less expensive than reacting to a hack or breach, which is why Jahnke recommends a thorough assessment of your organization’s cybersecurity to get a baseline for the current level of readiness and identify areas for improvement.

    This list offers a detailed collection of key areas that medical practice leaders should examine to be prepared for a possible cyberattack.

    Cybersecurity assessment

    Number of users _________________________________
    Number of workstations ___________________________
    Number of physical servers ________________________
    Number of virtual servers _________________________
    Number of locations ______________________________

    Endpoint protection

    Antivirus Brand: _________________________________

    • Installed on all workstations?
    • Installed on all servers?
    • Are definitions monitored for automatic updates?
    • Do infections automatically produce alerts?
    • Does someone respond automatically?
    • Does it have a web browser plug-in and classify search results?
    • Does it provide sandboxing for executables?
    • Can IT provide a recent status and threat report?

    What is the next renewal date? ____________________

    Network protection

    Firewall make/model: ____________________________

    • Is the firmware up-to-date?
    • Is packet inspection enabled? 
    • Does it have intrusion prevention enabled?
    • Does it use a sandbox solution for downloaded files?
    • Does it have antivirus scanning enabled?
    • Does it have anti-spyware scanning enabled?
    • Does it have flood protection enabled?
    • Does it have Geo-IP blocking enabled?
    • Does it look for and filter botnet traffic?
    • Does it have a web content filter enabled?
    • Are internet-facing servers protected from brute force attacks?
    • Can IT provide a recent status and threat report?
    • Are guest networks completely isolated from the business network?
    • Is internet usage monitored?

    What is the next renewal date? ____________________

    Email protection

    Email filtration product: ___________________________

    • Is email encryption available?
    • Are filtration rules administered by IT?
    • Are executable attachments blocked by default?
    • Are links re-written and scanned when accessed?
    • Are artificial intelligence (AI) and heuristics used to stop spoofed email?
    • Is outbound mail scanned, or only inbound?
    • Are data loss prevention filters in place for outbound email?


    How is the SPF record configured? ____________________________________________________

    Network administration/management

    List any users who have local administrative permissions on their computers:  ___________________

    • Is user account control enabled on all workstations?
    • Are all users’ passwords set to expire automatically?
    • Are password length and complexity required?
    • Are accounts locked out after multiple unsuccessful login attempts?
    • Are screensavers engaged automatically after inactivity?
    • Is multifactor authentication used?
    • Is patching managed and monitored on all workstations and servers?
    • Are non-user account passwords stored in a secure location?
    • Are non-user accounts documented for use?
    • Do all accounts follow principle of least privilege?

    User instruction/policies and procedures

    • Do you have an acceptable use policy for organizational computers?
    • Are users given security awareness training?
    • Are users sent phishing messages to find out who needs additional training?
    • Are risk assessments conducted at least annually?
    • Has a remediation plan been produced?

    Backup/disaster recovery


    How often are backups taken? ___________________________

    How long are backups retained? _________________________

    • Is there a written policy for disaster recovery/mitigation?
    • Are backups “air gapped” from potentially infected workstations?
    • Do backups go offsite automatically?
    • Do failed backups produce alerts?
    • Are backups tested periodically?

    Advanced security measures

    • Do you have/utilize a security operations center (SOC) that monitors 24/7?
    • Do you utilize a security information event management (SIEM) system?
    • Is host-based intrusion detection in place?
    • Is network-based intrusion detection in place?
    • Are servers monitored for ransomware-like activity?
    • Are monitors in place for administrative changes (e.g., domain admins)?
    • Are independent penetration tests performed periodically? 
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