Digital communities and welfare

Digital communities and welfare

Threats and risks in the healthcare domain – Learn from the past, assess the present, and prepare for the future.

Did we learn from the past cyber security incidents in the healthcare domain? Do we understand the current status and the associated challenges in the healthcare institutions? And, are we ready for future threats and risks?

In the last decade, cyber incidents in the healthcare domain have been increasing in numbers and severity, which caused negative effects on the society and its citizens. Such attacks can affect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive and important healthcare assets, like the healthcare data of patients. Consequently, this might have consequences on the correct functioning of healthcare institutions and the lives of patients being treated in such institutions.

Examples of such attacks and incidents:

On the other hand, the healthcare domain undergoes several effort to modernize the sector at various levels, for example, technologically, organizationally, logistically,legally, among others. For example, the introduction of the 5G networks (https://www.telenor.no/om/teknologi-norge/dette-er-5g.jsp) will increase the efficiency and performance of the healthcare infrastructure. Regarding regulations and privacy, we noticed the introduction of the European GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) regulation on privacy in 2016 and the adaptation of the Privacy By Design principles (https://www.datatilsynet.no/rettigheter-og-plikter/virksomhetenes-plikter/innebygd-personvern/programvareutvikling-med-innebygd-personvern/) in building privacy preserving applications. Furthermore, The IoT technologies have invaded our homes with a wide range of sensors and application to make it possible to monitor and follow up the healthcare treatment of patients from home. Those are only few examples of new changes that will shape the way that the healthcare ecosystem is heading to. You can imagine changes in other domains, like hospital buildings, medical devices, treatment procedure, and others.

In this village, the students are challenged to (1) explore the previous threats and risks that targeted the healthcare infrastructure in Norway in the last decade, (2) understand the advances and changes that the healthcare system in Norway undergoes and the security challenges that those changes cause and lead to, and finally (3) analyze and predict possible future risk and threats on the healthcare domain. The analysis should include, beside the technical aspect, other human, organizational, legal, and medical aspects. As a result of the analysis, the student could develop few scenarios, or stories, of how operations and security of the healthcare actors can be affected or attacked.

Relevant competency

This is an inter-disciplinary theme that requires considering and analysing the problems and challenges from various points of view related, among others, to the following study programs, health care, computer science, information security, design, civil engineering, manufacturing, legal, and economical.

 

Facts

  • Course code: IMT4016
  • Type: Semester-based, virtual
  • Language: English
  • Village supervisor: Basel Katt and Mohamed Abomhara
  • Semester: Spring 2024
  • Location: Online
    Host faculty: IE

Other requirements:
This village is part of Virtual Experts in Teamwork (VEiT). VEiT gathers knowledge about virtual EiT-villages, to develop them further. Students from all campuses meet in the VEiT villages.

The village is virtual. All teaching and group work takes place using online collaboration tools. Students must have a computer with camera and microphone.

Village meeting every Wednesday from 09.15-12.00. In addition, each group has a 2-4 hour meeting during the week. Each group, after consultation with the teaching staff, decides the time for the group meeting (could be other days than Wednesday, also evenings). Individual work is also expected.

How do I register for EiT?

Important information about EiT

Important information about EiT:

  • The focus on teamwork skills and group processes is the unique feature of Experts in Teamwork (EiT)
  • EiTs teaching methods depend on the contribution and presence of every participant throughout the semester. For this reason, attendance is compulsory on every village day.
  • In contrast to many courses, the first few days are especially important in EiT. During this period, get to know each other and discuss what each individual can contribute. You will also draw up the compulsory cooperation agreement and start preparing a shared research question.
  • For additional information about Experts in Teamwork, see page for students