# The Risk Assessment of the Security of Electronic Health Records Using Risk Matrix
## 5 Challenges and Techniques  
A previous study [2] explains the confidentiality, privacy, and security of EHRs. Digital healthcare records are to be protected from unauthorized access, as they have sensitive patient medical history and personal details. However, most healthcare institutions tend to disregard the privacy concerns of their patients and share the data with researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and the government. However, the most significant security and privacy breaches result from cyber-attacks, where the attackers target the data to sell it to the \"dark web\" for financial gain. Risk analysis shows that most data breach sources are administrative and technical, as healthcare professionals tend to share the data accidentally or knowingly. On the other hand, cyber attackers use vulnerabilities in the software used to store and transmit the records. The probability of a cyber-attack is high, as attackers constantly try to steal more data from healthcare institutions. Also, the likelihood of the healthcare institution sharing patients' data without consent is high. The impact of a cyber-attack can be devastating, as the attackers use the data in varying ways, from extortion and blackmail to selling the data on the dark web. The impact of risks involved when a healthcare provider gives third-party access to the data is minimal, as the information is used for research or experimental purposes and not for malicious intent. A risk analysis of EHRs shows that their weakest security link is the centralized nature of the system used to build them. The research [7] shows that decentralizing EHRs eliminates a central attack point, reducing the damage caused by a successful cyber-attack. The use of blockchain in EHRs provides security and privacy for patients. Security is provided through encryption algorithms, where the data is encrypted in transit and storage. Blockchain provides privacy through access control. The patients have full access to their data, and everyone else has restricted access through access control mechanisms. Blockchain provides privacy through zero-knowledge proof, where researchers, the government, and pharmaceutical companies have patients' data on their treatment methods. There is a low probability of a successful cyber-attack on blockchain EHR systems, and in case of an attack, the impact is minimal, as the information is distributed in several locations, and accessing a single account does not provide all information about a healthcare provider. One study [8] exposes the most significant security issue with EHRs. Hospitals in Australia and the UK have faced cyber-attacks leading to data breaches of millions of patients. Such attacks lead to trust problems between the healthcare providers and the patients, with many opting out of such systems. Most healthcare centers use generic security policies, which make them vulnerable to attackers. Many countries have local and international security policies for the healthcare industry. Still, attackers can bypass the security measures due to such policies. The risks are due to technical issues, as healthcare institutions use software meant for the public instead of customized healthcare software that is more secure. The probability of a cyber breach is high, as generic software is easily compromised. Furthermore, the impact of the risks associated with generic software is high, probably at 100%, since an attacker who compromises software such as the operating system or database can access all the data stored in the system. To manage the risks associated with cyber-attacks in healthcare institutions, machine learning (ML) can help healthcare centers determine legitimate and illegitimate security policies. ML can also help healthcare centers identify personal identifiable information (PII) in the policies they implement and thus be able to rule out the best policies to use to protect their patients' data. A published study [9] explores security loopholes in healthcare centers.