Why Healthcare Practices Can't Afford to Ignore Cybersecurity
Mar 25, 2025
In today’s digital landscape, healthcare practices — particularly private doctors' offices — are more vulnerable than ever to cyberattacks. Yet, many remain woefully underprotected, relying on outdated technology and hoping that cybersecurity insurance alone will cover them. Let’s break down why this approach is a ticking time bomb and how PureStack can provide a comprehensive, affordable solution.
The Cybersecurity Gap in Private Practices
Many private doctors' offices handle highly sensitive patient data, including HIPAA-compliant Protected Health Information (PHI) and Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Despite this, they often operate on outdated systems without firewalls, antivirus protection, or proper data backups. In some cases, practices still rely on a single desktop computer running old versions of Windows, with patient data stored locally — and backups saved to a USB drive sitting on the desk.
This setup isn’t just outdated — it’s dangerous.
The False Sense of Security
A common misconception among doctors is that cybersecurity insurance will bail them out if a breach occurs. However, many insurance companies require audits to ensure proper safeguards are in place. Practices without these measures may find their claims denied, leaving them responsible for regulatory fines, legal fees, and damage control. Worse yet, some policies are underwritten by surplus lines insurers — companies not based in the state — that may walk away from large claims altogether.
Real-World Horror Stories
Consider this: an internal medicine doctor running his own practice had a setup that checked every box for what not to do. His entire patient database was stored on an outdated desktop computer with Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2007 — no firewall, no antivirus, and no secure email. When PureStack stepped in, here’s what we found:
Keylogger viruses: Hackers were recording everything typed on his computer, from passwords to patient data.
Cryptocurrency mining malware: His computer was so compromised that hackers were using it to mine a cryptocurrency — slowing his entire system to a crawl.
Unsecured email: He was sending patient x-rays and other sensitive data over an unencrypted email system.
Open remote access ports: His network had an open port (3389) for remote desktop access — a hacker’s favorite target — with no password required.
This practice wasn’t just a data breach waiting to happen — it was an active breach.
How PureStack Secures Healthcare Practices
Healthcare practices don’t need to be tech experts — they need a partner that ensures their systems are secure, compliant, and efficient. That’s where PureStack comes in. We offer an all-in-one solution that covers everything:
Comprehensive cybersecurity: Firewalls, antivirus, and endpoint protection.
Cloud-based solutions: Eliminate the single-point-of-failure desktop machine.
RAID-backed storage: Multi-drive redundancy ensures data isn’t lost when a hard drive fails.
Modern email systems: Office 365 with encryption and email security.
Secure remote access: No more open ports or vulnerabilities for hackers.
Proactive monitoring: We catch problems before they cause downtime.
Transparent, Scalable Pricing
We believe cybersecurity should be accessible without breaking the bank. That’s why PureStack offers per-user pricing, with a minimum monthly pricing to ensure comprehensive coverage. Even smaller practices can access enterprise-grade security without paying enterprise-level costs.
For example:
Base package: $3,500/month covers up to 10 users.
Additional users: $350 per user beyond that.
Don’t Wait for Disaster
The harsh reality is that many private practices are one cyberattack away from losing everything — their data, their reputation, and potentially their entire business. Waiting until after a breach isn’t an option.
PureStack empowers healthcare practices to focus on what they do best: providing exceptional patient care — while we ensure their technology is secure, compliant, and reliable.