BROOMFIELD, Colo., April 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lack of
employee awareness and education present the greatest security
threat exposure according to responses from 125 health IT
executives and professionals participating in the 2017 Level 3
Healthcare Security Study. The study, conducted by HIMSS Analytics
and sponsored by Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT), was
designed to identify and understand high-level IT security concerns
in the healthcare industry as the threat landscape continues to
evolve, placing the industry's valuable healthcare data and
critical care infrastructure at risk.
Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8084151-level-3-healthcare-security-study/
Access the study here to learn more about the state of
healthcare IT
security: http://lvlt.co/HealthITStudy.
Key Insights:
- Nearly 80 percent of survey participants identified employee
security awareness as the source of their greatest concern
regarding threat exposure.
- Ninety-five percent of respondents list EHR systems as having
the greatest importance for network uptime. Hospital interface
systems ranks as the second most important (51 percent) – ahead of
remote monitoring for patients (39 percent), communications systems
(37 percent) and PACS storage (36 percent).
- The majority of organizations employ multiple risk mitigation
practices: 87 percent leverage remote access/secure access
controls, 85 percent rely on employee security awareness programs
and 75 percent incorporate security consulting services like
vulnerability assessments and penetration testing.
- A little over half of respondents have practices such as DDoS
mitigation (56 percent) and/or threat intelligence (55 percent) in
place today.
Key Quotes:
Bryan
Fiekers, Senior Director Research Services for HIMSS
Analytics
"While the research uncovered only a 'modest'
concern around the prospect of a security breach within hospital
organizations over the next 12 months, providers are looking for
closer partnerships with their network providers. My interpretation
of the findings is that healthcare organizations must remain
vigilant against cyber security threats and leverage all of their
resources effectively to ensure every individual knows their role.
Security cannot become an out-of-sight, out-of-mind problem."
Chris Richter, SVP, Global
Security Services for Level 3
"The security threats the
healthcare industry is facing are real and they're only increasing
in volume and sophistication as bad actors continue to seek out
coveted protected health information. Aside from fostering and
maintaining a culture of security, which includes regular employee
security training, healthcare organizations should implement a
security governance framework and appropriate technology controls.
These include threat intelligence, DDoS mitigation and next
generation firewalling and sandboxing – all critical next steps for
healthcare providers to secure their networks."
Additional Resources:
- Watch the 2017 Healthcare Security Study video with Chris
Richter
- Review the 2017 Level 3 Healthcare Security Study
- Read Predicting the Next Cyberattack
For more information on Level 3's advanced network and service
offerings, visit www.level3.com.
About Level 3 Communications
Level 3 Communications,
Inc. (NYSE: LVLT) is a Fortune 500 company that provides local,
national and global communications services to enterprise,
government and carrier customers. Level 3's comprehensive portfolio
of secure, managed solutions includes fiber and infrastructure
solutions; IP-based voice and data communications; wide-area
Ethernet services; video and content distribution; data center and
cloud-based solutions. Level 3 serves customers in more than 500
markets in over 60 countries across a global services platform
anchored by owned fiber networks on three continents and connected
by extensive undersea facilities. For more information, please
visit www.level3.com or get to know us on Twitter, Facebook and
LinkedIn.
© Level 3 Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Level 3,
Vyvx, Level 3 Communications, Level (3) and the Level 3 Logo are
either registered service marks or service marks of Level 3
Communications, LLC and/or one of its Affiliates in the United States and elsewhere. Any other
service names, product names, company names or logos included
herein are the trademarks or service marks of their respective
owners. Level 3 services are provided by subsidiaries of Level 3
Communications, Inc.
Forward-Looking Statement
Some statements
made in this press release are forward-looking in nature and are
based on management's current expectations or beliefs. These
forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of performance and
are subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of
which are outside Level 3's control, which could cause actual
events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the
statements. Important factors that could prevent Level 3 from
achieving its stated goals include, but are not limited to, the
company's ability to: increase revenue from its services to realize
its targets for financial and operating performance; develop and
maintain effective business support systems; manage system and
network failures or disruptions; avert the breach of its network
and computer system security measures; develop new services that
meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; manage the
future expansion or adaptation of its network to remain
competitive; defend intellectual property and proprietary rights;
manage risks associated with continued uncertainty in the global
economy; manage continued or accelerated decreases in market
pricing for communications services; obtain capacity for its
network from other providers and interconnect its network with
other networks on favorable terms; successfully integrate future
acquisitions; effectively manage political, legal, regulatory,
foreign currency and other risks it is exposed to due to its
substantial international operations; mitigate its exposure to
contingent liabilities; and meet all of the terms and conditions of
its debt obligations. Additional information concerning these and
other important factors can be found within Level 3's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this press
release should be evaluated in light of these important factors.
Level 3 is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such
obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events, or
otherwise.
Contact
Information:
|
|
Media:
|
Investors:
|
Stephanie
Walkenshaw
|
Mark
Stoutenberg
|
+1
720-888-3084
|
+ 1
720-888-2518
|
stephanie.walkenshaw@level3.com
|
mark.stoutenberg@level3.com
|
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SOURCE Level 3 Communications, Inc.