Email remains one of the weakest links in an organization's cybersecurity defense. According to a 2024 whitepaper by Osterman Research, organizations experience an average of 5.7 successful phishing incidents and 5.6 account compromises per 1,000 employees annually. Even more concerning, 48% of organizations lack confidence in their current email security protections, while only 34.4% are fully compliant with applicable regulations.
For healthcare organizations, email security breaches can have devastating consequences beyond data loss. As the report notes, successful attacks can affect "actions in the physical world, not merely data," potentially impacting patient care and safety. With email serving as the primary attack vector for 75% of all cybersecurity threats, healthcare organizations must address common security mistakes to protect both patient data and operational integrity.
"Corporate emails, targeted through phishing and weaponized malware, are the main entry point for most breaches," notes Art Ocain, vice president of service delivery at cybersecurity company Airiam, in a Forbes interview.
According to Osterman Research, more than half of organizations operate under the flawed assumption that messages and files are safe by default. For healthcare organizations, this dangerous assumption leaves them vulnerable to sophisticated attacks that bypass traditional security measures.
Implement a "malicious by default" approach to email security. Organizations that take this stance show significantly higher confidence in their security protections. This includes implementing content disarm and reconstruction (CDR) technology - which the report shows 48% of organizations currently lack.
The research reveals that 77.6% of organizations recognize they need better email security technologies, with this being the top-rated issue hindering effective protection. Healthcare organizations often rely on outdated security measures that fail to address modern threats.
Implement advanced security capabilities that preclude threats by design, including:
The Osterman report reveals that despite cybersecurity awareness training, over a quarter of organizations still experience successful email attacks. Training, while necessary, isn't sufficient as a standalone defense against sophisticated threats targeting healthcare data.
Combine training with advanced technical controls. Organizations need a multi-layered approach that includes both employee education and robust security technologies. The report emphasizes that organizations experiencing high numbers of incidents must revisit both their technical controls and training frequency.
Only 34.4% of organizations believe they are fully compliant with applicable regulations. For healthcare organizations subject to HIPAA and other privacy requirements, this compliance gap creates significant legal and operational risks.
Implement comprehensive compliance protocols that include:
The report indicates that organizations aspire to achieve five times higher confidence in their email security protections within 12 months. To achieve this, healthcare organizations must:
Learn more: The zero trust approach to managing cyber risk
Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR) is a security technology that prevents malware by breaking down incoming files, removing any potentially malicious elements, and rebuilding them into clean, safe versions. Unlike traditional scanning methods, CDR doesn't just detect threats - it eliminates them before they can reach users' inboxes.
Detection identifies potential threats after they've entered the system, while prevention stops threats before they reach users' inboxes. Prevention-focused solutions like CDR and zero-trust approaches provide stronger protection than traditional detection methods.
Zero-trust security assumes all emails are potentially malicious until proven safe. This approach requires verification of every email and attachment, regardless of the sender, and includes multiple layers of security checks before delivery.