Humans are the weakest link in cybersecurity, and the healthcare industry is no exception. Healthcare workers may not think of themselves as part of the cybersecurity team, but they’re often the last line of defense for facilities when cyberattackers take aim, primarily because they’re often making decisions related to access and identity. A common way for hackers to access health networks is to steal clinicians’ credentials through social engineering techniques like phishing—whether via emails, calls, or texts—John Riggi, national advisor for cybersecurity and risk at trade and lobbying group the American Hospital Association (AHA), told us. “Cyber hygiene is as important as medical hygiene to help protect patients from harm,” Riggi said. Clear and present danger. In 2024, the healthcare industry suffered the most breaches in its history, with 184,111,469 records exposed, impacting 81% of the US population, per the HIPAA Journal. See our second collab with IT Brew here.—CC, EH | 
