With the amount of work being done online and the huge number of online transactions, maintaining the privacy and integrity of digital information becomes a big issue. Cybersecurity has become a major problem as vulnerabilities emerge in online systems.

Even though the need for protection is increasing, the shortage of IT professionals who know about cybersecurity is growing. Recent studies have shown that this shortage is having an effect on many different industries, including healthcare.

In one study, two-thirds of the companies surveyed reported that they did not have enough people to handle their cybersecurity needs. All of this means that there is a greater likelihood of someone breaking into these IT systems.

In fact, IT officials report that the number of cyber break-ins is on the rise, costing businesses a significant amount of time and money. Security breaches are likely to grow as different types of malware proliferate and more electronic platforms are developed with mobile devices and cloud computing, along with social networking.

Even now, organizations are struggling to deal with breaches in their security – fewer than one-third of companies responding to a recent survey said they can recover from an attack within one day, while almost half said it may take as long as a week.

Moreover, IT professionals say that with the growth in new technologies, security personnel need to acquire new IT skills and knowledge to cope with new and varied threats, including increased risks with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and cloud computing. More than three-fourths of those reporting in a recent study said that BYOD represents a big security risk, and that new skills will be needed to handle this risk. More than two-thirds of those responding in the study also said that social media is another security issue, especially in the area of content filtering.

Security risks involving software applications are the most pressing concern, IT people say. Despite this concern, few organizations are focusing on software development to take care of these issues. Even though a large majority of firms say they are most worried about applications that are susceptible to cyberattack, this issue is not paramount when looking for software development contractors.

In the healthcare industry, surveys have shown that the number one issue regarding cybersecurity is patient privacy.

Business leaders need to be educated about the ever-growing and changing cybersecurity threats, according to IT professionals. If adequate defensive measures are not taken, the consequences could be dire for business growth and the economy as a whole.

To help alleviate these problems in the healthcare industry, staffing firms like Morgan Hunter Healthcare can help organizations access pools of IT security talent to make sure their systems are secure. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you find these IT professionals who are critical to keeping your facility safe.

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