Healthcare CIOs entering 2026 face a perfect storm of cybersecurity challenges. Crafting a healthcare cybersecurity roadmap for 2026 is no longer optional – it’s mission-critical. Threat actors are more relentless than ever, and regulators are raising the bar on compliance. In this playbook, we outline the high-stakes security landscape and six strategic priorities that should anchor any 2026 healthcare IT strategy. From HIPAA-compliant IT security planning to embracing Zero Trust and partnering for 24/7 protection, this guide will help healthcare IT leaders map out a proactive plan. The goal is to position your organization (and partners like Meriplex) to not only survive escalating cyber threats, but to thrive with resilience and confidence.
The 2026 Healthcare Security Landscape Is High-Stakes and High-Complexity
The healthcare sector heads into 2026 with a target on its back. Cyberattacks on hospitals and providers have reached record levels, with data breaches impacting an unprecedented number of patients. Ransomware and hacking incidents now dominate: roughly 80%+ of healthcare breaches are caused by external hacking/IT incidents. In fact, 2024 alone saw over 275 million healthcare records compromised – affecting about 82% of the U.S. population – thanks to a few massive vendor breaches like the 190-million record Change Healthcare attack. In other words, threat actors aren’t just nibbling at the edges; they’re pulling off “mega-breaches” that ripple across the entire health system. One analysis found nearly 30% of breaches stem from compromised login credentials (stolen passwords, phishing, etc.), underscoring how often hackers simply log in with stolen accounts.
Regulatory pressures are intensifying in parallel. HIPAA and the HITECH Act remain foundational, but new wrinkles are adding complexity. HHS has proposed updates to the HIPAA Security Rule in 2025 to strengthen cyber safeguards (e.g. more explicit requirements for access controls and audit logs). The voluntary 405(d) program (providing the HHS Health Industry Cybersecurity Practices (HICP) framework) has gained prominence as a de facto industry standard for best practices. Even state governments are jumping in – for example, New York rolled out new state-level hospital cybersecurity regulations requiring breaches to be reported to state health authorities within 72 hours. Meanwhile, federal legislation like the proposed Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2025 aims to bolster defenses without piling on too many unfunded mandates. The bottom line is a more complex patchwork of rules that healthcare CIOs must navigate to stay compliant.
Adding to the challenge are emerging threat vectors that didn’t exist a few years ago. Cybercriminals are weaponizing artificial intelligence – using AI to generate highly convincing phishing emails and even deepfake voice calls that impersonate executives or clinicians. This means attacks are more deceptive and harder to detect, raising the stakes for security awareness training and advanced threat detection. At the same time, the explosion of connected medical devices (the Internet of Medical Things, IoMT) has expanded the attack surface inside hospitals. A recent analysis by Claroty found 99% of hospitals have IoMT devices with known exploitable vulnerabilities on their networks. Everything from infusion pumps and MRI machines to smart HVAC systems could provide an entry point for attackers if not properly secured. And as the Change Healthcare incident proved, third-party vendors and business associates pose a huge exposure: breaches involving a vendor doubled year-over-year and now account for about 30% of all healthcare cyber incidents. In short, healthcare IT leaders are confronting a threat landscape that is broader, more sophisticated, and more interconnected than ever.
Despite this daunting landscape, 2026 can be a turning point. By understanding these trends and proactively addressing them, healthcare CIOs can defend against rising threats and meet compliance obligations without drowning in bureaucracy. The next sections of this playbook outline six strategic priorities —a 2026 healthcare cybersecurity roadmap—that focus on practical, high-impact measures to fortify your organization.
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Six Strategic Priorities for 2026 Healthcare IT Leaders
Having set the stage, let’s dive into the core of the playbook: six strategic priorities that every healthcare CIO and CISO should focus on in 2026. Think of these as the pillars of a modern healthcare IT security strategy. They range from shoring up identity controls to implementing Zero Trust, modernizing endpoint defenses, preparing for ransomware, streamlining compliance, and securing your cloud and hybrid infrastructure. Importantly, these are not abstract ideals – they are practical and actionable priorities designed for resource-constrained healthcare IT teams. Implementing these will help ensure your organization can prevent the most common attack scenarios and mitigate damage when incidents do occur.
Below are the six priorities, each broken down with key action items:
Priority 1: Strengthen Identity and Access Management (IAM)
In healthcare breaches, identity is the new perimeter. Many attacks succeed simply because someone’s username and password were stolen. To counter this, healthcare organizations must double down on IAM fundamentals:
- Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) everywhere: Every remote access point, VPN, EHR login, and privileged account should require MFA. This single step thwarts the vast majority of credential-based attacks. For example, the largest healthcare breach in history (the 2024 Change Healthcare incident) was traced back to hackers exploiting a login portal that had no MFA – attackers used stolen credentials to walk right in  . Don’t let that happen to your organization. Make MFA mandatory for clinicians, staff, and third-party vendors alike.
- Adopt least privilege and role-based access: Users (and services) should have only the minimum access necessary to do their jobs. This means mapping roles (doctor, nurse, billing clerk, etc.) to appropriate access levels and regularly reviewing permissions. Dormant accounts and excess privileges are ticking time bombs. Implement strict off-boarding procedures so that when staff leave or contractors finish assignments, their accounts are promptly disabled or removed.
- Extend IAM to third-party vendors: One often overlooked gap is vendor and partner access. Nearly 94% of healthcare organizations allow third-party vendors access to internal systems, and 72% give those vendors high-level permissions. That’s a huge risk if vendor accounts aren’t tightly controlled. Use vendor-specific IAM policies, enforce MFA for them too, and segment their activities (more on segmentation in Zero Trust below). Monitor vendor logins and immediately revoke access when a contract ends.
- Implement conditional access and behavioral monitoring: Modern IAM tools (e.g. Microsoft Entra ID/Azure AD Conditional Access policies) can evaluate context—such as device health, location, time of day, and user behavior—before granting access. Leverage these features to add adaptive, risk-based checks. For instance, if a user account suddenly tries to access the EHR at 3 AM from an offsite location, the system could require re-authentication or deny the request. Similarly, consider behavioral biometrics for sensitive systems: this technology continuously verifies a user by their unique usage patterns (typing speed, mouse movements, etc.). It can even detect if an attacker has stolen a logged-in session by noticing anomalies in how the account is being used. These advanced techniques help catch impostors even if they somehow obtained valid credentials.
- Improve identity audit and hygiene: Conduct regular audits of all accounts (workforce and system/service accounts). Ensure default passwords are changed, disable any shared/generic accounts, and rotate credentials regularly. Use automated tools to scan for weak or leaked passwords in your environment and force resets. Strong IAM isn’t a “set and forget” thing—it requires ongoing care and feeding, but it pays off by closing the door on many common breach vectors.
Priority 2: Implement Practical Zero Trust in a Clinical Setting
Zero Trust is more than a buzzword – it’s a strategic approach that is particularly well-suited to healthcare’s complex, interwoven networks. The basic premise is “trust nothing, verify everything.” For healthcare IT leaders, the challenge is applying Zero Trust principles in practical, clinical ways that don’t disrupt patient care. Key steps include:
- Network segmentation of critical systems: Hospitals historically had flat networks where an MRI machine or nurse workstation could theoretically reach any other device. In 2026, that’s unacceptable. You should segment EHR systems and other critical applications on separate network zones with very restricted access. For example, you might isolate all clinical workstations (nurse stations, doctors’ PCs) such that they can only communicate with the EHR servers and essential clinical apps – and explicitly block those workstations from connecting to IoT devices or general internet subnets. Likewise, medical IoMT devices (imaging machines, infusion pumps, vital monitors, etc.) should be grouped and segmented so they only talk to their management servers or necessary destinations. An infusion pump has no business talking to an HR database, and a security camera doesn’t need to ping the radiology PACS system. By implementing fine-grained network segmentation (often via software-defined micro segmentation), you contain threats and prevent attackers from moving laterally across your environment. Segmentation can be complex but start with high-risk zones (like isolating devices that can’t easily have security agents installed).
- Device-level controls for IoMT: Beyond network segments, each connected medical device should be locked down as much as possible. Change default manufacturer passwords on devices (a surprisingly common oversight). Apply available firmware updates and security patches—recognizing that some devices can’t be patched frequently due to FDA or operational constraints. For those, compensate with other controls (e.g. isolate them, use virtual patching or intrusion prevention systems to shield known vulnerabilities). Deploy solutions that monitor device behavior on the network; anomalous activity (like a CT scanner suddenly sending data to an unfamiliar external IP) should trigger alerts or auto-blocks. Given that 89% of healthcare organizations are running medical devices with known exploits, having a strong handle on IoMT devices is critical in 2026.
- Embrace Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) for remote access: Many healthcare providers still rely on legacy VPNs for remote clinicians or third-party service access. VPNs implicitly trust the connecting device once authenticated, which can allow a compromised home laptop to tunnel into the hospital network. ZTNA is a far safer replacement for VPN. With ZTNA, when Dr. Smith connects from home, the system verifies her identity and checks her device’s security posture (is it a known device? Up to date on patches? running endpoint protection?). Only then does it grant access – and even then, it only connects her to the specific application or system she needs, not the entire network. This principle of least privilege access on the network layer means that even if Dr. Smith’s account or device were compromised, the attacker couldn’t roam freely. ZTNA solutions also continuously re-verify during a session and can cut off access if the device becomes risky. In short, ZTNA eliminates the inherent trust that VPNs extend, significantly reducing the odds of a breach. For remote healthcare workers and telehealth scenarios, this is a game-changer. Many organizations in 2026 will be phasing out VPNs in favor of ZTNA as part of their Zero Trust journey.
- Apply “verify continuously” to workflows: Identify other areas to inject Zero Trust principles. For instance, within an EHR application, do all users really need access to all patient records? Consider implementing attribute-based access control at the application level (sometimes called Zero Trust at the data layer) – e.g. only allow access to patient records if certain conditions are met (the clinician is assigned to that patient’s care team, or it’s within that clinic location, etc.). Also, implement session timeouts and re-authentication for sensitive actions (like prescribing controlled substances or accessing large reports). These measures ensure that a stolen session token or an unattended logged-in workstation doesn’t become a free pass for misuse.
Zero Trust in healthcare is a journey, not a flip of a switch. The idea is to incrementally remove implicit trust from your systems and require verification at every key interaction. Start small, get some quick wins (like deploying MFA and ZTNA), then chip away at larger projects like network micro segmentation and data-level controls. Every step toward Zero Trust materially reduces your risk of a catastrophic breach.
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Priority 3: Modernize Endpoint Protection Without Overhead
Endpoints—workstations, laptops, tablets, even biomedical device terminals – remain favorite targets for attackers. Many healthcare providers still rely on traditional antivirus (signature-based AV) that can’t keep up with today’s threats like fileless malware and advanced ransomware. 2026 is the year to modernize your endpoint protection stack in a way that doesn’t overburden your IT team:
- Upgrade from legacy AV to Next-Gen EDR/XDR: Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools go beyond simple virus scanning. They continuously monitor endpoint behaviors and use AI to detect suspicious patterns that a static antivirus might miss. For example, if malware injects into a process and starts encrypting files, a good EDR can catch that behavior in real time, isolate the endpoint, and stop the attack. Extended Detection and Response (XDR) goes further by correlating activity across endpoints, servers, cloud workloads, and more. Replacing or augmenting your old AV with a managed EDR/XDR solution will vastly improve detection of stealthy threats like nation-state malware or zero-day exploits. Many EDR platforms also include built-in anti-ransomware logic to spot encryption activity and halt it, which is vital for healthcare.
- Consider a Managed Detection & Response (MDR) service: Operating EDR/XDR tools effectively requires 24/7 monitoring and specialized skills to triage alerts. If your internal team is small (as is common in healthcare IT), an MDR provider can be a force multiplier. MDR is essentially outsourcing your tier-1 security operations – a team of experts watches your endpoints and network around the clock, investigates alarms, and even helps remediate incidents. It brings process maturity and depth of expertise that few hospital IT departments have in-house. In fact, analysts predict that by 2025, 50% of organizations will be using MDR services for continuous threat monitoring and response. Healthcare organizations are wise to be among them, given the stakes. A good MDR partner will know how to handle a 3 AM ransomware detection while you sleep—and that’s priceless.
- Layer on vulnerability scanning for unmanaged and IoT devices: Not every device can have an EDR agent (think of lab machines, printers, older medical equipment). For those, implement network-based vulnerability scanning and monitoring. Regularly scan your subnets for missing patches, outdated operating systems, default credentials, and other weaknesses. Nearly half of healthcare providers report significant portions of their IT estate run on legacy technology (10% or more of systems), which often can’t host modern security agents. For these, vulnerability management and strict network controls (as discussed in Zero Trust) are key. You can also invest in network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) that watch traffic for signs of malware or intruders, helping cover devices that can’t protect themselves. NIDS solutions with healthcare-specific threat intelligence can flag anomalous behavior on, say, a radiology workstation that might indicate a compromise.
- Minimize performance impact and alert fatigue: Modern endpoint solutions can be tuned to avoid slowing down clinical systems. Work closely with your vendor to deploy in learning mode and adjust policies to minimize false positives in a hospital environment (for instance, clinical software doing unusual macro-operations might trip generic rules – you can refine that). Many next-gen platforms offer cloud-based processing so the heavy analysis isn’t done on the endpoint itself. The goal is to increase security without adding burden on your clinicians or your IT analysts. If your security tools overwhelm the team with hundreds of alerts a day, revisit and fine-tune them – or lean on your MDR provider to do so.
- Incident response planning on the endpoint level: Ensure you have the capability to remotely isolate or wipe a device if it’s suspected to be compromised. Conduct periodic drills where you simulate a malware outbreak on a nurse’s PC and walk through the steps to contain it (e.g. EDR network isolation, pulling logs, restoration from backup if needed). This will expose any gaps in your endpoint incident response procedures before a real attacker does.
By modernizing endpoint security, you reduce the likelihood that an initial intrusion will turn into a full-blown breach. It’s about catching the attack on patient zero (the first infected device) before it can spread across your environment. Traditional antivirus alone can’t reliably do that in 2026. Managed EDR/XDR with expert oversight can. The investment in these tools and services is justified not only by risk reduction but also by potential cost savings – preventing one major breach (average healthcare breach cost is now $10M+ ) or avoiding days of downtime easily pays for the security upgrade many times over.
Priority 4: Plan for Ransomware Incidents Now—Not Later
In healthcare, a ransomware attack isn’t just a data security issue; it’s a patient safety emergency. When systems go down, surgeries get canceled, ambulances get diverted, and lives are literally at risk. The harsh reality is that ransomware gangs continue to hammer the health sector – there was a 42% increase in ransomware attacks on healthcare in 2022 and the trend has likely worsened. Every healthcare organization must operate under the assumption that “a ransomware incident will happen to us” and prepare accordingly before it strikes. Key preparation steps include:
- Establish robust backup and recovery capabilities (and test them): Define your recovery time objectives (RTOs) for critical systems – e.g. EHR downtime must be no more than X hours, PACS imaging archive no more than Y hours, etc. Then architect your backup strategy to meet those timelines. This usually means having a combination of on-site backups for fast restores and off-site, offline backups (immutable cloud storage or tape) to guard against backup repositories being encrypted too. Test your backups regularly by simulating restoration of a key system. Too many hospitals have discovered during an attack that their backups failed or were incomplete. Don’t be that hospital. Aim for at least annual full restore tests and quarterly partial tests of important data. Also, document manual downtime procedures (the “pen and paper” plan) for providing care if systems are unavailable – and ensure staff are trained on those procedures.
- Conduct tabletop exercises for ransomware scenarios: Tabletop drills are essentially “practice breaches” where you walk through a hypothetical ransomware attack with all the relevant teams. These exercises are invaluable for exposing gaps in your incident response plan and improving coordination. For example, do department heads know how to operate during an extended IT outage? How would your hospital communicate with patients and the public if email is down? Who decides if/when to pay a ransom, and what’s the process? A good tabletop scenario will involve leadership, IT, clinicians, communications, legal, etc., and force discussion on these thorny questions before you’re in a crisis. Many healthcare organizations that navigated real incidents relatively well (e.g. UVM Health Network’s handling of a 2020 attack) credit prior tabletop drills for their effective response. In 2026, make it a goal to run at least one ransomware tabletop exercise (with an outside facilitator if needed) and update your response plans based on the findings.
- Clarify breach notification and regulatory plans: A ransomware attack often triggers breach notification requirements. Under HIPAA’s Breach Notification Rule, if ePHI is compromised, you generally must notify HHS and affected individuals within 60 days of discovering the breach (sooner, if it involves >500 individuals, for the individual notices). State laws may have even tighter timelines. In the chaos of incident response, you don’t want to be figuring out “Do we need to notify? Who prepares the notice? What’s our media statement?” Have a breach communications plan ready. This should include: draft notification letter templates, a process for determining breach scope (so you know who to notify), and assignment of responsibility for public communications. Remember that ransomware is now the leading cause of large healthcare breaches – so there’s a roughly 4 in 5 chance that if you get hit, it will be reportable. Also decide in advance if you will ever consider paying a ransom. The official guidance is not to pay (and fewer healthcare orgs are paying now, only ~36% attacked organizations paid in recent surveys), but some facilities feel they have no choice when lives are on the line. This is an ethical and business decision senior leadership should wrestle with now, then document a position (even if the position is “case-by-case but require CEO/board approval to pay”).
- Plan for continuity of patient care during IT downtime: Ransomware typically causes multi-day or multi-week disruptions. Clinical staff must be prepared to deliver care without access to electronic systems. Work with your clinical leadership to ensure there are printed forms, downtime procedures for registration, medication administration, lab orders, etc. If you have a hospital that’s gone through an Epic or Cerner downtime for maintenance, you may already have some procedures – expand on those for an unplanned outage. Identify which services cannot be safely delivered without IT (for example, if your oncology dept can’t function without certain systems, you might need an MOU with a partner hospital to transfer patients in a dire scenario). This level of disaster planning bleeds into broader business continuity planning, but it’s absolutely part of ransomware readiness. Remember, 69% of healthcare providers hit by cyberattacks reported disruption of patient care, and 56% reported an increase in complications or poor outcomes as a result. So, while IT works to contain the technical damage, clinicians will be battling to keep patients safe – give them the tools and plans to do so.
- Coordinate with authorities and cyber insurance: Have contact information on hand for your local FBI field office or the HHS 405(d)/HC3 liaison – reporting an incident to federal authorities is encouraged and can bring helpful resources. Also, if you have cyber insurance, know the hotline to report an incident and what services your policy provides (many policies now include access to incident response firms, negotiators, PR assistance, etc.). Time is of the essence in ransomware events, so every minute counts – having these contacts pre-identified saves precious time.
The mantra here is “preparation over panic.” By thoroughly planning and drilling your ransomware response, you’ll react faster and more effectively if the worst happens. And perhaps more importantly, a prepared posture may even deter threat actors – ransomware gangs have been known to go after “easy prey” and avoid hardened targets. Showing that you take ransomware seriously (e.g. through robust backup practices) can make you a less attractive mark.
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Priority 5: Align With HIPAA & 405(d) — Without Getting Buried in Paperwork
Compliance and security go hand in hand in healthcare. Yet too often, organizations treat HIPAA compliance as a checklist or an annual binder exercise, separate from real security operations. In 2026, smart healthcare IT leaders will streamline and integrate compliance into the security program – leveraging frameworks like HICP (405(d)) to address regulatory requirements efficiently rather than being mired in paperwork. Here’s how:
Use HICP as a practical roadmap: The HHS 405(d) Health Industry Cybersecurity Practices (HICP) document is a goldmine of sector-specific guidance. It outlines the top 5 cyber threats and 10 mitigating practices for healthcare, scaled by organization size. Treat HICP as your playbook for what to implement (many of the priorities we’ve listed align with its recommendations). One big benefit: under a 2021 law (Public Law 116-321, amending HITECH), regulators must consider if a breached entity had recognized cybersecurity practices (like HICP) in place for the past 12 months – and if so, they can mitigate fines and penalties . In plain English, if you adopt and document the HICP best practices, you’re not only more secure but also get credit in the eyes of OCR if an incident still occurs. It’s voluntary, but highly incentivized. Aim to formally “adopt” HICP in 2026 by performing a gap assessment against it and closing those gaps. That way you can show regulators a report or attestation that, for example, “we have implemented multi-factor auth, privileged access management, continuous monitoring, incident response plans, etc. per HICP guidance.”
Don’t let compliance devolve into mountains of paperwork: Many healthcare IT teams drown in risk assessment documents, policy manuals, vendor questionnaires, and so on. While these are important, there is a point of diminishing returns. Consider using technology and external services to lighten the load. For example, Compliance-as-a-Service offerings can take on the heavy lifting of annual risk analyses, policy updates, and user training campaigns. They often provide software platforms that keep track of your HIPAA Security Rule requirements and control status. Similarly, a virtual CISO (vCISO) engagement can provide expert oversight on compliance without adding FTEs. Automation can help too: use tools that automatically scan and classify ePHI, flag compliance issues (like unencrypted databases or open ports on systems handling PHI), and even generate compliance reports. The goal is to operationalize compliance – bake it into daily processes – so that preparing for an audit or attesting to HIPAA requirements isn’t a fire drill each time.
Streamline risk assessments and documentation: Under HIPAA, you must conduct a periodic enterprise risk analysis and document risk management steps. Rather than doing this once a year in a silo, integrate it with your continuous vulnerability management and incident response metrics. Many organizations are moving to continuous risk monitoring – where a dashboard can show current patch levels, number of open high-risk findings, latest phishing test results, etc., which collectively paint your risk posture in real time. Leverage frameworks like NIST CSF or ISO 27001 if they help bring structure but map them back to HIPAA/HICP controls to avoid duplicate work. And if you haven’t already, create a risk register that gets regularly updated (and reviewed by leadership) so that you can track progress on mitigating top risks over time.
Keep an eye on new regulations (but don’t chase every shiny object): 2026 may bring some regulatory changes. HHS’s proposed Security Rule modifications could become final, which might require updates to policies (e.g. more explicit authentication requirements). Some states may enact their own health data privacy or cybersecurity laws (as seen with NY’s 72-hour rule for breaches). Stay informed via resources like HHS 405(d) newsletters or HIMSS but focus on fundamentals. If you have a solid security program addressing known risks, chances are you’ll meet the intent of new regulations without massive rework. For instance, if you’re already doing least privilege and MFA, you’re essentially covering what any new rule would likely mandate. Compliance is largely about showing your work – so as you implement the other priorities in this playbook, document them in policy and procedure form. That way, your security improvements immediately double as compliance evidence.
Leverage your partners and vendors: If you work with a managed security provider or consultants, use them to augment compliance processes. Many offer services like HIPAA risk assessments, penetration testing with a compliance lens, or audit prep. Likewise, major cloud providers and EHR vendors often have shared responsibility guides and compliance checklists – use those to ensure you’re properly configuring systems in line with HIPAA. Don’t reinvent the wheel if a template or tool exists that covers a requirement.
Ultimately, the mindset shift is to view compliance not as a separate checkbox but as a natural outcome of a well-run security program. When you align security initiatives with frameworks like HICP, you kill two birds with one stone: boosting your actual cyber defenses while satisfying regulators. That’s the sweet spot— secure and compliant, without excess noise. It keeps your team free to focus on real risks rather than buried in binders.
Priority 6: Secure Cloud Workloads and Hybrid Infrastructure
Healthcare IT environments in 2026 are a hybrid mix – on-premises servers, cloud-hosted applications, SaaS services like Microsoft 365, and a lot of data moving between them. Protecting this hybrid cloud infrastructure is a distinct challenge that requires its own focus. A misconfigured cloud storage bucket or a shadow SaaS app can become an open door for attackers, just as an improperly secured on-prem server can. Key actions in this area include:
- Harden and monitor your cloud services (EHR, email, etc.): Many providers now host their EHR or other clinical apps in cloud data centers (or use cloud-based EHR like Epic in Azure). Cloud security configuration is paramount – ensure you are following best practices of your cloud platform. This includes things like: implementing strict Identity and Access Management in the cloud (use cloud MFA and conditional access for admin accounts), encrypting data at rest and in transit, enabling audit logging on all resources, setting up alerts for unusual cloud activities (like mass data downloads or new API keys created), and regularly reviewing access permissions to cloud data stores. For Microsoft 365 (which nearly all healthcare orgs use for email/SharePoint), take advantage of its security center: enable things like anti-phishing protection, mailbox auditing, and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies for PHI. Email continues to be a top breach vector, so investing time in securing Exchange Online (with phishing filters, disabling legacy authentication, etc.) pays off significantly.
- Beware of shadow IT and cloud sprawl: Shadow IT refers to employees or departments adopting software or cloud services without IT’s knowledge (e.g. a research department spinning up a cloud database, or a clinician using a personal Dropbox for files). Studies estimate that in large enterprises, 30–40% of IT spend is now on shadow IT outside official oversight. That’s a big blind spot. Attackers know this – an exposed database or forgotten web application is an easy target. Combat this by implementing a combination of policy and tech: educate staff that any system handling PHI must involve IT/security; use network monitoring to discover unusual cloud traffic; and consider a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) solution which can detect and control use of unsanctioned SaaS apps. You might also periodically run external footprint scans to identify cloud assets associated with your org (for example, using your domain name) that the security team wasn’t aware of. The goal is to regain visibility over your full digital footprint so nothing critical is lurking in the shadows.
- Consolidate monitoring and logging across environments: One challenge with hybrid setups is siloed monitoring – you might have logs in Azure for some apps, local SIEM for on-prem, and separate alerts from a SaaS vendor. To effectively catch threats, strive to integrate these signals. If you have a SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) platform, ingest logs from cloud sources into it. Many cloud providers allow streaming of events to a SIEM or a cloud-native equivalent. If you’re using an MDR service as mentioned earlier, ensure they have hooks into your cloud environment too. The idea is to achieve a single pane of glass (or as close as feasible) where an analyst can see an incident that might traverse from a cloud app to an employee’s device to an on-prem server. Attackers certainly won’t confine themselves to one domain, so our defenses and visibility can’t either.
- Address cloud misconfigurations head-on: Misconfiguration of cloud resources (like storage buckets left open or overly permissive access roles) is a leading cause of breaches. In fact, 20% of breaches caused by cloud misconfigurations directly hit healthcare organizations – meaning healthcare is disproportionately targeted via cloud mistakes. To prevent this, implement cloud security posture management (CSPM) tools that continuously audit your cloud for misconfigurations and compliance violations. Many such tools can auto-remediate issues or at least alert quickly. Key things to monitor: any storage bucket or database with public access, any default or “allow all” firewall rules, any missing encryption settings, and unrotated credentials/API keys. Enforce the principle of least privilege in your cloud just as on-prem – e.g., if a server in AWS doesn’t need internet access, don’t give it internet access. Small misconfigurations can have huge consequences, so making cloud security reviews part of your routine (and using automation to assist) is critical.
- Ensure resilience of cloud vendors: When using cloud-based EHR or third-party hosted solutions, assess their security and DR capabilities too. You might have Epic in the cloud, but what if Epic’s cloud goes down or is attacked? Review SLAs and get assurances of their backup plans. Third-party risk management extends to cloud providers and SaaS vendors: verify they undergo security audits, pen-tests, etc., and that they will notify you promptly of any breach on their side. The Change Healthcare breach showed the cascading effect a vendor incident can have  . So treat your critical cloud vendors as extensions of your environment when it comes to security oversight.
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In summary, securing hybrid infrastructure means covering all bases – from your local data center to the far-flung cloud service – under a cohesive security strategy. It’s about unified policies and monitoring, closing off misconfigurations, and keeping a watchful eye on the ever-expanding attack surface. As one 2025 cloud security report put it, healthcare is seeing rapid cloud adoption but “without a unified view of this attack surface, cloud security becomes a guessing game” . We need to remove the guesswork by investing in cloud security tools and practices as diligently as we have for on-prem networks. The payoff will be not only breach prevention but also a stronger foundation for all the digital transformation initiatives (telehealth, AI, big data analytics, etc.) that healthcare is pursuing in the cloud.
Don’t Do It Alone: Why Growing Healthcare Organizations Need a Cybersecurity Partner
We’ve covered a lot of ground with these strategic priorities – and you might be thinking, “This is great, but how on earth do we manage all of this with our small team?” The frank answer for many healthcare organizations, especially midsize and regional providers, is you can’t do it all alone. Nor should you try. The cybersecurity talent shortage is real, budgets are tight, and the threat environment is 24/7. This is exactly why partnering with a managed cybersecurity and IT provider can be the smartest move you make in 2026.
Most hospital IT departments are under-resourced and overstretched. In a recent survey, 53% of healthcare organizations said they lack in-house cybersecurity expertise and nearly half reported insufficient IT staffing to handle security needs. It’s hard to recruit and retain security specialists when you’re competing with big tech and finance firms on salaries. By engaging a capable security partner (like an MSSP or MDR provider), you effectively gain a team of experts at a fraction of the cost of building one from scratch. They bring specialized skills in areas like threat hunting, digital forensics, cloud security, and compliance – so your internal team can focus on core IT and patient care technologies.
Importantly, security is a 24/7 job. Attackers don’t respect nights, weekends, or holidays – in fact, they prefer them. A staggering 94% of cyberattacks occur after hours when staffing is thinnest. That means if you only have 9-to-5 IT security coverage, you’re leaving a gaping hole during the most critical times. A managed security partner provides round-the-clock monitoring and response. While your team sleeps, theirs is watching your network, ready to react within minutes if something bad happens. This “follow the sun” approach to security operations is something only the largest hospitals can do internally; for everyone else, outsourcing it is the practical solution.
Downtime from cyber incidents directly equals patient care lost. We’ve seen how attacks can disrupt services and even lead to poorer patient outcomes. A strong partner can significantly reduce downtime by preventing incidents or responding faster when they occur. For example, if ransomware starts spreading at 2 AM, an MDR team can isolate infected devices immediately – potentially preventing a full-scale hospital outage. Without such swift action, your IT might not even notice until 7 AM, by which time it’s too late. The difference could be days of manual operations versus a contained event with minimal impact. That difference translates to whether critical treatments get delayed and how much financial and reputational damage you suffer. Simply put, having experts on call 24/7 is like an insurance policy for your operations – one that often pays for itself by averting just one big incident.
A good security partner also brings process maturity and automation that individual organizations struggle to develop on their own. They handle multiple clients and have refined playbooks for common scenarios (phishing outbreaks, malware infections, lost device handling, etc.). They likely use advanced security orchestration tools to automate repetitive tasks – for instance, instantly disabling a suspected compromised account across all systems, or automatically collecting forensic data when an alert triggers. This level of sophistication means threats are dealt with consistently and efficiently. It also means you benefit from collective intelligence: if the provider sees a new threat hitting one hospital, they can inoculate all their clients against it. In essence, you’re pooling defenses with your peers, which is powerful in the fight against cybercriminals.
Critically for healthcare, a specialized partner will understand the unique context of healthcare IT – the need for uptime, the regulatory environment, the way clinical workflows can’t be interrupted. They know that a false positive that shuts down the PACS system is unacceptable, or that an “emergency access” break-glass account exists in EHRs for good reasons. This domain knowledge helps them tailor security measures, so they enhance, not hinder, the mission of patient care. When evaluating partners, look for those with a track record in healthcare specifically (we’ll cover criteria in the next section).
To be clear, partnering doesn’t mean handing over the keys and walking away. The best outcomes come from a collaborative partnership where your in-house team and the external experts work as one unit. Your staff bring knowledge of your environment; the partner brings depth in security. Together, you create a more resilient organization. Think of it like having an experienced co-pilot in a very turbulent sky – you’re still at the controls, but there’s someone beside you who has flown through similar storms and can guide you through it.
In summary, 2026 is not the year to go it alone with a skeleton crew. The stakes – patient safety, financial stability, institutional trust – are too high. Engaging a cybersecurity partner is not a luxury; it’s increasingly a necessity to level the playing field against attackers. With the right partner, you gain capabilities and peace of mind that would be near-impossible to maintain internally. It allows you to sleep a little easier at night (literally) and frees your internal IT talent to innovate in ways that directly improve patient care rather than constantly firefighting security issues. Given that virtually 92% of U.S. healthcare orgs have faced cyberattacks and the average org dealt with 40 attacks in one year, a helping hand is more than welcome – it’s a lifeline.
What to Look for in a Healthcare IT Security Partner
Deciding to partner for cybersecurity is one thing; choosing the right partner is another. Not all IT security providers are created equal, and healthcare has specific needs that your partner must be able to meet. Here are key qualities and capabilities to look for as you evaluate potential providers (and you should insist on all of them):
- Healthcare industry expertise and HIPAA knowledge: The partner should demonstrate a deep understanding of healthcare workflows, clinical technology, and regulatory requirements. Do they know what ePHI is and the importance of HIPAA’s Security and Privacy Rules? Can they speak to how they handle PHI in their monitoring tools? A provider that’s versed in healthcare will better appreciate things like protecting PACS imaging systems, securing HL7 interfaces, or ensuring downtime procedures in an incident. They should also be familiar with frameworks like 405(d) HICP and be able to help you align with them. Ask for healthcare client references or case studies. If they’ve never worked with a hospital or clinic before, be cautious – you don’t want to pay for someone’s learning curve in such a sensitive environment.
- Comprehensive security capabilities (breadth and depth): Look for a partner that can cover the gamut of services you need, such as: Managed EDR/XDR for endpoints, network security monitoring (NDR/NIDS), cloud security monitoring (for your Azure/AWS and O365), Identity and access management support, vulnerability management, incident response (with defined SLAs for containment and recovery), and compliance support (risk assessments, audit assistance). Essentially, they should function as an extension of your IT/security team covering all major domains. If you have to juggle one vendor for MDR, another for compliance, another for IoT device security, etc., that complicates coordination. Many providers offer bundled services that span on-prem and cloud, network and endpoint, etc. – those are ideal. Also evaluate the depth of their expertise in each domain: for example, do they have a dedicated incident response team with certified handlers? Do they have threat intelligence resources to stay ahead of emerging threats like AI-driven attacks?
- 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) with proven incident response: Non-negotiable: the partner must operate a true 24×7 SOC. Verify this by asking about their staffing – do they have multiple shifts including weekends/holidays? Where are their analysts located? What’s the process if an alert fires at 3 AM Sunday? A top-tier partner will not only alert you, but actively perform containment measures whenever possible (like disabling a compromised account or isolating a device). Incident response maturity is crucial: request a walkthrough of how they handled a recent incident for a client. That will tell you if they move at the speed of relevance. Given that nearly all attacks hit outside business hours , you want assurances that their “night crew” is just as skilled and empowered as the day crew.
- Support for hybrid infrastructure (on-prem, cloud, IoMT, mobile): Healthcare environments are diverse – you have everything from legacy on-prem servers to doctors accessing data on iPads to biomedical devices and cloud apps. The partner should explicitly cover all these fronts. For instance, can their monitoring platform ingest logs from your cloud services and also from your medical device network segments? Do they have solutions for securing mobile devices or BYOD if clinicians use their own phones for work email? How will they help with IoMT device security – do they integrate with tools like MedTech security platforms or have experience isolating IoT threats? The more holistic their coverage, the fewer blind spots in your defense.
- Ability to integrate with your existing technology stack: A good partner will work with what you have and enhance it, not force rip-and-replace (unless truly needed). If you’ve invested in certain tools (firewalls, SIEM, EDR, etc.), ask how they can leverage those. The best providers are technology-agnostic and can manage or monitor a wide range of common solutions. They may also bring their own proprietary platform, which is fine if it coexists smoothly. Interoperability is key – for example, if you use Splunk or Microsoft Sentinel for logs, can they manage in that environment? If you use CrowdStrike for EDR, are they skilled in its console? The goal is to maximize ROI on past investments and avoid unnecessary disruption.
- Proven track record with references and transparent metrics: Request reference calls with at least one or two of their healthcare clients. Ask those references about the outcomes – have they actually reduced incidents, improved response times, helped with compliance findings? A quality partner should also be willing to share some metrics or reports, such as their average detection-to-containment time, or how many incidents they handle per client on average. Also inquire about their customer retention rate; a high churn could be a red flag. Given the sensitive nature of healthcare, trust and reputation matter a lot – you want a partner that others in the industry trust.
- Strong internal security and compliance of their own: Remember, if you’re giving a third party access to your systems and data, they themselves become a potential risk. In fact, business associates have been a major source of breaches (increasing 337% since 2018 by one analysis ). So vet the partner’s internal practices: are they SOC 2 audited or ISO 27001 certified? Do they have HIPAA business associate agreements ready to sign (and do they adhere to those standards in practice)? What controls do they put on their own staff – background checks, least privilege access to client data, etc.? Essentially, evaluate them as you would any critical vendor. The last thing you need is your security provider causing a breach. Reputable firms will gladly discuss their security posture and provide documentation.
Choosing a security partner is like choosing a co-pilot for your cybersecurity journey—you need someone competent, reliable, and in sync with your mission. Take your time in the vetting process, involve your stakeholders, and don’t hesitate to ask tough questions. The right partner will welcome it and provide forthright answers. After all, they will be entrusted with protecting your “crown jewels” (patient data and operational uptime). When you find a partner that ticks all these boxes—healthcare savvy, full-service, 24/7, hybrid-capable, integrative, proven, and secure—you’ve likely found a partnership that can significantly tilt the odds in your favor against cyber threats.
Healthcare Security Is a Journey—But You Don’t Have to Walk It Alone
In closing, it’s important to recognize that achieving strong cybersecurity in healthcare is a continuous journey, not a one-time destination. Threats will keep evolving in 2026 and beyond – whether it’s new AI-driven attacks, vulnerabilities in tomorrow’s medical devices, or yet-unimagined tactics by adversaries. Likewise, technology and best practices will advance, and regulations will adapt. This means your security program must be dynamic, regularly reassessed, and always improving. There is no “finish line” – but that’s okay. The goal is to make steady progress and manage risk to acceptable levels while enabling your healthcare mission.
What we absolutely can’t afford in 2026 is a “wait and see” mindset. This is not the year to sit back and hope for the best. The cyber threat landscape targeting healthcare is too active and too dangerous. If anything, attackers are doubling down on healthcare because of the rich data and critical uptime requirements (they know hospitals are more likely to pay ransoms, for instance, when patient lives could be on the line). Meanwhile, the complexity of defenses needed – covering identity, endpoints, network, cloud, compliance – has grown beyond what many IT teams can handle alone, as we discussed. So the worst strategy is indecision or inaction. Hoping you won’t be hit is not a strategy. Hope is not a strategy.
The good news is you don’t have to travel this road alone. Throughout this playbook, we’ve emphasized the role that expert partners like Meriplex can play as a consultative cybersecurity ally. A strong partner brings not just technical controls but also strategic guidance – helping you prioritize what matters most for your specific environment, given limited resources. They can take on the heavy operational lifting (monitoring, incident response, audits), allowing your team to focus on strategic improvements and user support. It’s akin to having an experienced guide on a long expedition: they help you navigate pitfalls, illuminate the path ahead, and carry some of the load.
By implementing the six strategic priorities outlined – from IAM and Zero Trust to endpoint modernization, ransomware planning, compliance alignment, and cloud security – you will dramatically strengthen your organization’s posture. Each of these elements reinforces the others, creating a layered defense-in-depth. And with the right partner augmenting your capabilities, you gain the consistency and scale to keep those layers effective 24/7. The end result is resiliency: the ability to withstand attacks without significant impact. In other words, breaches might still be attempted (if a nation-state really wants in, they’ll try), but with a robust program, you can prevent most incidents and swiftly contain those that do slip through. It turns a potential hospital-wide disaster into a minor IT event.
One more thing to inspire action: remember that improving cybersecurity is also about protecting the core mission of healthcare – patient well-being. When you invest in cybersecurity, you’re investing in patient safety, privacy, and trust. You’re ensuring that a cyber incident won’t stop a surgeon from accessing imaging before a procedure, or won’t expose sensitive patient info to the world. In the end, this is about caring for patients just as much as implementing tech. Framing it that way can help galvanize support from leadership and clinicians for these initiatives.
As you head into 2026, take the opportunity to rally your organization around a proactive security strategy. Use this playbook as a conversation starter with your executive team—get buy-in that these are the priorities we must tackle. Establish a roadmap with clear milestones (perhaps quarterly goals). And engage partners where needed to fill gaps. By doing so, you’ll enter 2026 not with fear of what might happen, but with confidence that you have a plan and the right team in place to handle whatever comes.
Remember: healthcare security is a journey, but you don’t have to walk it alone. With a solid plan and a trusted partner by your side, you can navigate the twists and turns of the cyber landscape and keep your organization’s vital services safe, compliant, and resilient. Here’s to a more secure 2026 – for your hospital or clinic, for your staff on the front lines, and for every patient who depends on you to keep their data and their care protected.
