That thumping sound is the drumbeat of healthcare cybersecurity news stories. Ransomware, malware, spyware, records theft, covered entities, breaches. Suddenly hospital board members are asking questions about cybersecurity preparedness. That's healthy.
When the board starts knocking, well-meaning CISOs and security teams spring into action, ordering up assessments and other services from a growing cottage industry of third-party security consultants. That's healthy too — healthcare is one of many industries that needs an ecosystem of support around security activities.
The best assessments are sound, complete, and actionable. The worst ones ain't.
Given a statement of work from a third-party assessor, how can you tell whether it's sound, complete, and actionable? That's for a forthcoming post. This post is about one kind of unhelpful assessment: the kind that's only a penetration test.