You may already know the threats we all face from Cyber Crime, but do you know the impact this can have on a Dental Practice?

Over the course of 2021 the number of data compromises increased by 23 percent over the previous all-time high, with dentists being one of the most sort after targets as healthcare providers, according to the recent study undertaken by Identity theft resource centre.

It is clear that the sensitive information held by health care professionals is of interest to cyber criminals and in most cases the victims are ill-prepared for the fall out of such attacks, whether they are sophisticated in nature or not.

More than 50% of the attacks contained within the report where due to phishing / smishing / BEC and ransomware attacks. Both can be heavily impacted by the lack of user training. However we are all human and are prone to making mistakes so even if you have completed some training with your team what happens if one or more of these attacks get through, what monitoring do you have in place and how do you mitigate the risk?

In the event of a breach there are a number of legal bodies that will represent affected paitients on a no-win no-fee basis which could significantly increase the damages and compensation that may fall due, in addition to your own legal costs. Fines under GDPR guidelines can be as much as 20,000,000 Euros or 4% of your annual turnover.

Not to mention that in the event of a Ransomware attack you may not be able to access your data at all, meaning that not only do you have the potential costs outlined above but you will not be able to continue serving your patients. This is a potentially practice ending event.

Should you be unfortunate to suffer a breach, incur a GDPR fine and/or suffer from the inability to operate your practice you will also have to contend with a significant loss of reputation.

There is a way of mitigating this risk, not unlike going to the dentist. Your teeth stand a far stronger chance of being maintained if your keep regular dentist appointments than if you don’t, so why don’t more dentists take the same stance when it comes to protecting their practices data?

If you are a dentist based in East Anglia, with fewer than 200 employees, then get in touch with Onyx for a complimentary, no-obligation, cyber security assessment. We can tell you what cyber risks your practice may be exposed too and what can be done to mitigate them. Sign up here

Prevention is better than the cure.

If your current IT provider isn't talking to you about these threats then you need to seriously consider whether they are the right service provider for you. Onyx IT can assist with all your business needs when it comes to IT, in addition to providing solutions to mitigate your cyber risk.