Addressing the Growing Cyber Risk Encountered by Australian Healthcare Providers

Quick Overview

• Cyber threats to the healthcare industry have seen a twofold increase in recent years.
• Ransomware attacks within the healthcare field have a 95% success rate.
• Orro provides extensive solutions for managing cyber risks in the healthcare sector.
• Healthcare entities are concentrating on clinical continuity and safeguarding patient safety.
• Cutting-edge technologies facilitate proactive risk management and regulatory compliance.

Growing Cyber Threats to Healthcare

The global healthcare sector is increasingly threatened by cyber attackers. In its Annual Cyber Threat Report 2024-2025, the Australian Signals Directorate reported that the frequency of ransomware events in the healthcare sector had doubled since 2023-2024, with malicious parties achieving success in 95% of all incidents reported to the organisation last year, in contrast to an overall sector average of 52%.

Effects on Patient Safety

As the ASD highlighted, interruptions to healthcare networks pose risks to patient safety, rendering the sector a prime target for extortion attempts by cybercriminals. Healthcare data is also accessible in dark web marketplaces, facilitating activities like fraud and identity theft.

For healthcare leaders, the issue has evolved beyond mere prevention of cyber incidents. It involves ensuring clinical continuity, safeguarding patient safety, and upholding trust, while navigating increasingly complicated environments that incorporate legacy systems, connected medical devices, and the convergence of IT and OT networks.

Mitigating Cybersecurity Risks with Orro

The Australian technology services provider Orro aids healthcare entities in minimizing cyber risks through solutions tailored to securely connect, protect, and sustain clinical operations. These solutions encompass operational technology (OT) such as building management systems that operate elevators, air conditioning, and other essential hospital infrastructure, alongside IT assets and the integrations between IT and OT.

Orro offers a Clinical Security Network Operations Centre platform that extends protection throughout intricate healthcare environments. Flexible to cater to various organizational maturity levels, the platform can be adapted to meet compliance needs and risk management strategies, broadening the scope beyond individual hospitals to encompass IT and OT across wider healthcare networks.

A Holistic Security Solution for a Major Hospital Group

Orro’s solutions are empowering healthcare organizations to enhance their security framework. One significant private hospital group gained full insight into its digital landscape through the identification and cataloguing of all IT and OT devices, along with immediate visibility of device vulnerabilities and operational threats.

This enabled the organization to implement virtual patching to alleviate vulnerabilities linked to medical devices and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), while ensuring clinical operations remained uninterrupted.

The group also established a comprehensive security framework aligned with regulatory and industry standards, guaranteeing ongoing compliance as requirements evolve. Continuous monitoring and advanced analytics facilitated proactive risk management and accelerated, targeted responses to incidents, minimizing operational disruptions and reinforcing clinical trust in vital systems.

A Diverse Range of Use Cases

Applications for Orro’s solutions include clinical device discovery and asset management; real-time monitoring of clinical assets; clinical Secure Network Operations Centre capabilities; incident response integration; and ongoing maturity enhancement of clinical security operations.

These functionalities are delivered through the synthesis of leading-edge technologies within clinical and operational settings. For example, Orro utilizes Medigate’s deep packet inspection (DPI) technology to provide thorough visibility into connected medical and IoMT devices, while the Claroty xDome platform facilitates discovery, classification, and risk identification across cyber-physical systems.

Within the clinical Secure Network Operations Centre framework, Fortinet solutions back secure policy enforcement and contextual protection for OT assets, while analytics platforms like Splunk enhance detection, correlation, and response across healthcare IT and OT ecosystems.

Together, these integrated systems offer a cohesive strategy for visibility, protection, and response, bolstering resilience across clinical environments.

A Maturity Blueprint for Gradual Security Enhancements

Orro has also devised a clinical security maturity blueprint to assist healthcare organizations in continuously improving their cybersecurity stance. Described through its Secure Network Operations Centre integration methodology, the model addresses six core components: people, process, technology, tools, data, and security.

With this structure, healthcare organizations can implement modular, scalable solutions tailored to their current level of maturity, fostering progressive improvements as clinical settings, threat landscapes, and regulatory demands evolve.

“Healthcare cybersecurity has transcended being a mere technical concern – it has become a clinical and operational necessity,” said Orro CTO, Stuart Long. “Our mission is to assist healthcare leaders in creating environments where digital systems bolster care rather than jeopardize it, instilling confidence in patient safety, service continuity, and resilience.”

Conclusion

As cyber threats continue to escalate, Australian healthcare providers are taking bold actions to safeguard their systems and information. Orro’s integrated cybersecurity solutions empower organizations to securely maintain clinical operations, ensuring patient safety and adherence to regulations. By merging advanced technologies and embracing scalable frameworks, healthcare leaders are better prepared to confront the constantly changing cyber threat landscape.

Q: What makes the healthcare sector a target for cyber attacks?

A:

The healthcare sector possesses sensitive personal and financial information, making it appealing to cybercriminals aiming for ransom, fraud, and identity theft. Interruptions to healthcare services can also jeopardize patient safety, providing further leverage for attackers.

Q: In what ways does Orro aid in mitigating these risks?

A:

Orro delivers solutions to securely connect, safeguard, and sustain clinical operations, addressing both IT and OT requirements. Their platform expands protection across intricate healthcare settings and aligns with compliance and risk management strategies.

Q: What technologies are incorporated into Orro’s offerings?

A:

Orro employs technologies such as Medigate’s DPI for device visibility, the Claroty xDome platform for risk identification, and Fortinet for policy enforcement. Analytics tools like Splunk enhance detection and response capabilities.

Q: Why is the clinical security maturity blueprint significant?

A:

The blueprint offers a structured methodology for enhancing cybersecurity posture over time, concentrating on six pillars: people, process, technology, tools, data, and security. It assists healthcare organizations in implementing scalable solutions that match their level of maturity.

Q: How do these solutions affect patient safety and clinical operations?

A:

By providing continuous monitoring and proactive risk management, Orro’s solutions ensure uninterrupted clinical operations, reducing operational disruptions and enhancing confidence in critical healthcare systems.