In 2023, the average cost of a cyber attack to a small business in Australia was $46,000.
Australian medical practices, including aesthetic clinics, face an array of cybersecurity threats as criminals continue to target the healthcare sector. These attacks are primarily due to the sensitive nature of medical data and the high value of patient information. But being aware of the key cybersecurity threats can help you better prepare and protect data and systems.
Ransomware attacks
Ransomware remains a significant threat in the healthcare sector, with Australian medical practices increasingly targeted by cybercriminals. In these attacks, criminals attack the clinics records, encrypt medical data and demand a ransom to restore access. In 2024, ransomware attacks have evolved, with some criminals employing “double extortion” tactics: threatening not only to withhold data but also to publish sensitive client information if the ransom isn’t paid. The risk of exposing patient records can have serious reputational consequences and potential legal repercussions under Australian data protection laws, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme.
If your clinic does suffer a ransomware attack, it’s crucial to act quickly but carefully to minimise damage. First, isolate infected systems immediately if possible to prevent the possibility of malware from spreading to other devices or networks. Contact your IT security team or a professional cybersecurity service for assistance; they can assess the extent of the attack and start recovery efforts. Report the attack to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) via the ReportCyber platform, as required under Australian law. Avoid paying the ransom, as this doesn’t guarantee data recovery and may incentivise future attacks. Instead, restore systems from recent backups if available.
After the immediate threat is resolved, conduct a thorough investigation to identify vulnerabilities, update security protocols and implement measures—like multi-factor authentication and regular backups—to prevent future incidents.
Prevention Tips: Regularly back up data, implement multi-factor authentication (MFA), and train staff to recognise phishing attempts, which are a common entry point for ransomware.
Phishing, spear-phishing and social engineering attacks
Phishing attacks, especially spear-phishing (targeted phishing) and social engineering attacks (often made by phone or in person), continue to be a prevalent threat. These occur when criminals often impersonate trusted entities—such as suppliers or regulatory bodies—to trick employees into revealing sensitive data or clicking on malicious links. For medical practices, phishing attacks can involve fake invoices, urgent payment demands or fraudulent updates from “suppliers” of medical equipment.
Prevention Tips: Provide regular training on recognising phishing attempts, employ email filtering systems, and create and follow a “zero-trust” policy, to ensure that all unusual requests are verified.
Insider threats
An insider threat is one that comes from within your clinic. This might involve a disgruntled employee or one with poor cybersecurity habits inadvertently causing data breaches. With digital records and systems now the norm, restricting data access to only authorised personnel and monitoring user activity is essential.
Prevention Tips: To mitigate insider threats, enforce strict access controls, conduct regular access audits and ensure that departing employees have their access revoked immediately. Role-based access controls (RBAC) and activity monitoring can help limit exposure to sensitive information.
AI-driven cyber attacks
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now being leveraged by criminals to improve attack efficiency. AI-driven tools mimic user behaviour, bypass basic security measures or launch highly personalised attacks that evade traditional defences. Clinics using AI-driven client-facing tools or diagnostic technology may be at particular risk.
Prevention Tips: Implement advanced security solutions capable of real-time threat detection, ensure that all systems are regularly updated and prioritise AI-driven security tools to stay ahead of potential attackers.
Medical IoT device vulnerabilities
As medical practices increasingly rely on Internet of Things (IoT) devices—such as diagnostic tools, monitoring systems and smart treatment devices—these devices become a new point of vulnerability. Some IoT devices lack robust security measures, making them attractive targets. Compromising these devices can allow attackers to infiltrate other systems within your clinic’s network.
Prevention Tips: Regularly update IoT device firmware, implement strong passwords and multifactor authentication for device access, and use network segmentation to separate IoT devices from the rest of the clinic’s systems.
Supply chain attacks
Supply chain attacks exploit third-party vendors to access data indirectly. These attacks have become more common recently, as attackers recognise that medical practices often trust their vendors implicitly. Clinics that use third-party software or external data handling services are at increased risk.
Prevention Tips: Carefully vet all third-party providers, require them to comply with strict cybersecurity standards and, where possible, limit their access to sensitive information. Ensure that contracts with these operators mandate compliance with data protection laws.
Cloud security risks
The cloud offers businesses and staff flexibility and accessibility, but poor cloud security—such as misconfigured storage, weak access controls or insufficient encryption—can lead to data breaches. As most Australian clinics rely on cloud systems for email and managing client data, the need for robust cloud security is greater than ever.
Prevention Tips: Clinics should use end-to-end encryption, conduct regular cloud security audits and implement strong access control measures, including MFA and role-based access. Ensuring compliance with the Privacy Act and NDB scheme is essential when managing patient data in the cloud.
Implementing a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy
To protect against these threats, all clinics should consider the following measures:
- Regular security audits: Regularly auditing systems for compliance with the Privacy Act, NDB scheme and Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) guidelines helps ensure protection against breaches and legal compliance.
- Staff training and awareness: Provide ongoing training to help staff detect phishing and social engineering tactics. Security awareness is the first line of defence.
- Advanced security tools: Invest in endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions, firewalls and antivirus software capable of real-time threat detection.
- Incident response plan: Have a well-defined response plan in case of a data breach. A quick, organised response can limit damage and ensure compliance with notification obligations under the NDB scheme.
By addressing these risks through a proactive cybersecurity strategy, you can protect client trust, maintain data security and uphold regulatory compliance in your clinic. Cybersecurity is essential not only for clinic operations but also for building and maintaining client confidence today and beyond.
