Healthcare Cybersecurity: Insights from a Scientometric Approach

The increasing digitization of healthcare, driven by technological advancements and the pursuit of enhanced patient care, presents both unprecedented opportunities and significant cybersecurity challenges. While digital tools, patient phygital twins for medical planning and connected devices streamline processes and improve access to care, they simultaneously expand the attack targets for malevolent actors, potentially compromising sensitive data and patient safety (Spanakis et al., 2020). Existing technical cybersecurity countermeasures aim to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of healthcare data and information systems, but the rising frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks necessitate a deeper understanding of the evolving threat landscape (Jalali et al., 2019). The SEcurity and RIghts in the CyberSpace (SERICS) project is currently developing remote healthcare solutions based on personal devices while the Phygital Twin Technologies for Innovative Surgical Training & Planning project is developing a phygital twin device and software for surgical planning, further highlighting the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures. Connected medical devices and electronic health records (as done for the patient phygital twin), while offering substantial benefits, vulnerabilities that introduce require new careful consideration. Effective incident response strategies are crucial for healthcare organizations to mitigate the impact of cybersecurity incidents and ensure timely recovery. This study addresses the critical need for robust cyber defences and effective response processes within the healthcare sector, emphasizing their contribution to overall cyber resilience through adherence to industry best practices. This is a macro-level analysis of cyber incidents across different countries and cyber actors which aims to identify frequently targeted entities and prominent threat actors within the healthcare ecosystem. This analytical approach, leveraging real-world incident data, provides a valuable contribution by uncovering systemic vulnerabilities and informing targeted cybersecurity strategies within the context of the SERICS project and the broader healthcare landscape.