The Impact of the CrowdStrike Outage on Healthcare Providers
Published: July 29, 2024
The recent global outage caused by a defective update in CrowdStrike’s software has emphasized the importance of stringent cybersecurity measures and robust IT infrastructures. This incident disrupted millions of devices and affected critical sectors, including healthcare providers nationwide. Hospitals faced varied impacts, from minor inconveniences to significant disruptions in medical technology and communications, highlighting the need for reliable IT solutions in healthcare.
At 3WON, we recognize the critical need for secure and reliable healthcare IT services. Our software is built to withstand and prevent such large-scale issues. Here’s how 3WON ensures uninterrupted and secure services, positioning ourselves as a leader in healthcare IT.
The CrowdStrike outage had a widespread impact on healthcare providers. The American Hospital Association (AHA)reported that hospitals experienced a range of issues, from minimal impact to significant disruptions in medical technology and communication systems. Some hospitals had to delay, divert, or cancel clinical procedures due to the outage, while others implemented manual restoration procedures to minimize patient care disruptions (Inside Health Policy) (WGRZ).
How 3WON Ensures Secure and Reliable Services
Rigorous Testing and Quality Assurance
Changes to our platform undergo thorough testing to ensure they meet our standards before being deployed to production. Each change passes through multiple stages of manual and automated review to confirm alignment with our standards and goals. We test the application at all levels, starting with code scanning tools like GitHub’s Dependabot and the open-source SpotBugs IDE plugin. We also use DAST tools such as OWASP ZAP, which are integrated into our development pipeline, and conduct custom automated application functionality tests. Finally, our manual Code and QA review teams assess and either sign off on or reject all changes staged for production placement.
Backup Systems
Backups are crucial for restoring functionality and data in the event of a security incident or failed update. At 3WON, we back up the entire provider database daily, retaining these backups for a minimum of two years. These backups are fully encrypted and stored in a secure, durable, and redundant cloud file storage bucket. Additionally, servers are backed up before each automated patch rollout or at least every 30 days. We conduct annual tests of full backups for all systems to ensure site reliability, data integrity, and process functionality.
Advanced Cybersecurity Protocols
Ensuring the confidentiality and security of connections to cloud systems and the data they contain is particularly challenging when running a web app that provides access to external customers. To protect our network and systems from outside threats, we have implemented several protocols. These include strict firewalls that block all unauthorized access, encryption of all data both at rest and in transit, and hardened endpoint configurations. Additionally, we require multi-factor authentication (MFA) for verifying user identity for access to all production systems.
Real-Time Monitoring and Incident Response
3WON uses several real-time endpoint and service monitoring tools, including AWS GuardDuty, Inspector, Bitdefender, GitHub Dependabot, and Avanan, to ensure the security of each endpoint within our production network. If an incident is detected by any of these tools or reported by an employee—who receives annual security and incident response training—our incident response team is prepared to act. We conduct annual incident response simulations to keep our plans and remediation processes current and relevant, ensuring our team is ready to respond to any threats that may arise.
Commitment to Excellence in Healthcare IT
3WON’s unwavering commitment to excellence in healthcare IT is reflected in our proactive approach towards security and reliability. While the CrowdStrike outage serves as a reminder of potential vulnerabilities in the IT landscape, it also highlights the effectiveness of our measures in maintaining secure and dependable services.
For more information on how 3WON ensures the security and reliability of its services, please visit 3WON.com. Together, we can build a safer and more resilient healthcare IT ecosystem.
