Cyber Guardians: INE Security Champions Cybersecurity Training During National Physicians Week 2025
New industry statistics reveal that cyberattacks on hospitals and clinics have reached unprecedented levels in recent years, costing the healthcare sector millions and directly jeopardizing patient safety and trust. In recognition of National Physicians Week 2025, INE Security, a global cybersecurity training and certification provider, is spotlighting the escalating cyber threats facing healthcare institutions and the urgent need for broad-spectrum cybersecurity training to protect patient care.
Recent reports show healthcare has endured a record wave of cyber breaches. In 2023 alone, there were 725 hacking-related breaches reported in U.S. healthcare, according to The HIPPA Journal, exposing over 124 million patient records, the worst year on record. Healthcare cybersecurity threats and breaches remain the costliest of any industry with the average data breach in a hospital now costing about $10.93 million per incident.
Beyond breaches, ransomware and other cyberattacks wreak havoc on operations: a joint Ponemon Institute and Proofpoint study found 88% of healthcare organizations, with an average cost of nearly $5 million per attack when all factors are accounted for.. These attacks range from theft of sensitive patient data to crippling ransomware outages. U.S. hospitals faced roughly 1,410 attempted cyberattacks per week in 2022, an 86% increase from the prior year.
Trends: Ransomware, Phishing, and Third-Party Breaches on the Rise
Cybercriminals are exploiting healthcare’s reliance on digital records and networked medical devices. According to Health-ISAC’s latest threat brief, the most common attack types targeting healthcare include ransomware deployments, phishing/spear-phishing campaigns, and third-party vendor breaches. Phishing has proven especially pervasive – over 90% of cyberattacks on healthcare begin with phishing scams, tricking staff into divulging credentials or installing malware.
Ransomware attacks, in particular, have surged in frequency and severity, often combining data theft with encryption (“double extortion”). The American Hospital Association warns these attacks “are designed to shut down vital systems and cause maximum delay and disruption to patient care,” essentially turning ransomware into “threat-to-life” crimes rather than just IT incidents. A chilling example occurred when a ransomware strike on a major third-party provider, Change Healthcare, impacted nearly every U.S. hospital’s operations earlier last year – delaying treatments and interrupting critical services nationwide.
The impact on patient care from such cyber incidents is stark. Nearly two-thirds of breached healthcare organizations report significant disruption to clinical operations. In a survey of recent major attacks (ransomware, cloud, supply chain, and email compromise), 66% of providers experienced care delivery interruptions, and over half saw worse patient outcomes due to delayed procedures. 23% reported increased patient mortality rates associated with attack-induced care delays.
These statistics underscore the fact that cybersecurity is directly tied to patient safety. When systems go down, or data is held hostage, ambulances get diverted, appointments are canceled, and doctors are left unable to access crucial health records – a situation that can literally be life-threatening.
Protecting Patients and Trust Through Training and Education
Defending against these evolving threats requires more than just technology – it demands well-trained personnel at all levels. Experts note that human error remains a leading cause of breaches in healthcare, yet a significant portion of staff lack adequate cybersecurity awareness. Nearly one-third of healthcare employees have received no cybersecurity training from their employer, even though human mistakes contributed to roughly 33% of healthcare cyber incidents.
Healthcare leaders are urged to treat ongoing cyber education as mandatory continuing education, akin to medical training, to ingrain a culture of security mindfulness. “Every member of a healthcare team – from physicians to IT personnel – plays a role in cybersecurity,” said Dara Warn, CEO of INE Security.. “Continuous training ensures that protecting patient data and systems becomes as second-nature as protecting patients’ physical health.”
Importantly, robust cybersecurity isn’t just about technical prevention—it’s also about preserving patient trust. Patients expect their sensitive health information to be guarded with the same care as their medical treatment. Breaches undermine that confidence: about 66% of patients say they would switch healthcare providers if a breach compromised their personal data due to poor security practices.
Ongoing training and certification of healthcare cybersecurity teams help maintain that trust by demonstrating a visible commitment to data protection and privacy. When providers proactively train staff and tighten defenses, patients can feel safer knowing their hospital is staying ahead of threats.
Industry-Leading Certifications Validate Critical Skills
One way healthcare organizations are bolstering their security posture is by having their IT and security staff earn industry-recognized cybersecurity certifications. Certifications serve as a benchmark for broad and deep knowledge, assuring that professionals can effectively prevent, detect, and respond to attacks. Some of the leading cybersecurity certifications being pursued in the healthcare sector include:
CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) – a globally respected credential covering security architecture, risk management, and governance.
CompTIA Security+ – an entry-to-intermediate level certification establishing core security skills and knowledge, often a baseline for IT staff.
eWPTX - a highly respected certification that is 100% practical and validates the advanced skills necessary to conduct in-depth penetration tests on modern web applications.
eJPT - a hands-on, entry-level Red Team certification that simulates skills utilized during real-world engagements.
By investing in certification training, healthcare IT teams ensure they stay current on best practices and emerging threat tactics. Broad-spectrum training – covering everything from network defense and encryption to cloud security and secure medical device management – prepares these professionals to handle the diverse range of threats targeting healthcare. The most effective training approaches combine coursework with hands-on exercises and simulations of real-world attack scenarios. This practical skills development is essential: in the high-stakes hospital environment, cyber teams must be battle-tested and ready to counter ransomware in the middle of the night or to quickly secure a breached database containing patient records.
INE Security’s Training Programs Empower Healthcare Heroes
INE Security, a global leader in cybersecurity training, certifications, and certification preparation, is at the forefront of helping healthcare organizations fortify their cyber defenses through education. INE Security’s comprehensive cybersecurity training platform offers on-demand courses, interactive labs, and instructor-led trainings that cover the full spectrum of security domains – from fundamental cyber hygiene for general staff to advanced incident response and penetration testing for IT professionals. These programs are aligned with the requirements of top industry certifications, enabling hospital IT teams and security analysts to earn credentials like CISSP, CeJPT,, and others as they build their skill sets.
Through INE Security’s hands-on training modules, healthcare professionals learn how to address the exact threats plaguing the sector today. For example, network defense and malware analysis labs show IT engineers how to contain ransomware outbreaks. Governance and compliance lessons ensure administrators understand frameworks like HIPAA and can integrate security into hospital operations. By continuously upskilling their workforce, healthcare providers can significantly reduce the likelihood of a breach and mitigate damage if one occurs.
As National Physicians Week 2025 highlights the dedication of doctors to healing patients, INE Security emphasizes that protecting the systems and data those physicians rely on is equally essential to patient well-being. The healthcare industry’s cyber threats are continual and evolving, but with rigorous training, education, and certification of cybersecurity professionals, hospitals and clinics can stay one step ahead. Ongoing cybersecurity training is now fundamental to sustaining patient care and trust in our digitally driven healthcare system. This week and beyond, INE Security is proud to partner with healthcare organizations to ensure that those who save lives are backed by networks and data systems that are safe, secure, and resilient against cyber attacks.
About INE Security
INE Security is the premier provider of online networking and cybersecurity training and certification. Harnessing a powerful hands-on lab platform, cutting-edge technology, a global video distribution network, and world-class instructors, INE Security is the top training choice for Fortune 500 companies worldwide for cybersecurity training in business and for IT professionals looking to advance their careers. INE Security’s suite of learning paths offers an incomparable depth of expertise across cybersecurity and is committed to delivering advanced technical training while also lowering the barriers worldwide for those looking to enter and excel in an IT career.
