In the weeks and months that followed the May 2017 WannaCry cyberattack, securing NHS IT systems became top priority.
The Government pledged an additional £150m for the NHS to tackle cyber security and NHS Digital set targets for training to improve information governance.
Effective management of systems and processes are critical for any robust cyber protection. At BDS Solutions we suggest focusing on four core areas as a base for your cyber security:
Area one: Access knowledge
Ensure you have a clear picture of who has access to what and understand if that access is appropriate for the job role. Visibility of system access must underpin identity and access management.
Area two: Manage change
People move roles, they leave, and new people come into the organisation. Management of staff changes should be immediate and efficient – opening or closing access as appropriate to limit the risk of unauthorised access.
Area three: Educate staff
Staff are a Trust’s biggest asset, but when it comes to cyberattacks – they are its biggest weakness. Educating staff about safe IT usage and what action to take should an incident occur, is critical in an organisation the size of the NHS.
Area four: System updates
Ensure that you apply the latest system patches and updates timely to protect against the latest scams. Migration to Windows 10 also provides additional cyber protection.
Management of these systems should not cause the NHS additional administrative pressures. Automated systems, managing staff records and access provide the much-needed support to ensure accurate, timely records are kept within the NHS.
BDS Solutions’ Directory Manager closes the loop between ESR, Active Directory and NHSmail, providing an effective link and removing additional admin of updating and ensure the accuracy of all three critical systems. BDS Solutions also supports many Trusts in the migration of systems, such as Windows 10.
2017 proved to be a hard lesson for the NHS but one they should not forget. Building better defences with knowledgeable staff and robust systems, prevents serious impact on hospital operations and the security of patient data.
We recently attended NHS Digital’s Windows 10 live event in Manchester where our Solutions Architect Dean Lockwood spoke about maximising the benefits of Windows 10. To read more, please click here.