Lok Sabha Question No. 2727 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-04
Subject: Cyber-Attacks on Healthcare Industry
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Brijendra Singh

## (a) to (e)

Union Health Ministry has undertaken various security and monitoring measures in collaboration with Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) to ensure data security and privacy of the patient from cyber threats. These include:

- i. Advisories issued by CERT-In are disseminated to all authorised medical care entities / service providers in the country for compliance. These include advisories on:
- Latest cyber threats/vulnerabilities & countermeasures,
- Guidelines on information security practices for government entities & specifically for health,
- Data & network security,
- Identity and access management, application security, third-party outsourcing, hardening procedures, security monitoring, incident management and Security auditing.
- ii. On observing any cyber security incidents highlighted by CERT-In, remedial actions are taken as per direction and guidance of CERT-In.
- iii. Cyber security mock drills are conducted in consultation with CERT-In and NIC in all divisions of Union Health Ministry.
- iv. Regular training programmes conducted in collaboration with CERT-In, CDAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) & National Informatics Centre (NIC) for sensitization of all the program divisions regarding securing the IT infrastructure and mitigating cyber-attacks.

## GOVERNMENT OFINDIA MINISTRY OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No-2727 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2023

## CYBER ATTACKS ON HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY

## 2727. SHRI BRIJENDRA SINGH:

Will the Minister of HEALTH and FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has any data on the number of cyber-attacks on country's healthcare industry during the last three years;

- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) the details of the steps taken by the Government to secure sensitive data of the patients from such cyber-attacks;

- (d) whether the Government proposes to make an investment in robust cyber security measures; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## (PROF. SATYA PAL SINGH BAGHEL)

- v. As per Security audit guidelines and advisories issued by NIC, necessary measures are taken by Union Health Ministry to enforce data security and privacy at web application end.
- vi. Union Health Ministry has launched Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), which aims to develop the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country and create longitudinal Electronic Health Record (EHR) for the citizen. National Health Authority (NHA) has issued several guidelines and notification to govern the conduct of digital health applications, which are integrated with ABDM ecosystem. These include Health Data Management Policy, Data Privacy Policy & ABDM Health Records (PHR) Mobile App Privacy Policy, which sets out the minimum standards for data privacy and protection.

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