Details of patients’ medical histories, hospital referrals, and prescription for different medications have been leaked, putting not just individuals, but also, and equally important the integrity of medical systems at risk.
With cybercrimes progressing at an alarming pace, healthcare institutions are finding themselves in an ongoing battle to protect sensitive information.
Peter also elaborates “To prevent future incidents, healthcare systems need to adopt cutting-edge approaches to protect patient data at its most vulnerable point, and Multi-Party Computation could be one of them”
The crisis of healthcare data security
Data breaches, particularly in healthcare, have devastating consequences. The leaked patient information at the Danish private Practice includes everything from psychological conditions to ongoing treatments and prescriptions - information that could be used for identity theft, blackmail, or fraud. This data is first and foremost personal, but also deeply confidential and, in many cases, irreplaceable.
The breach also exposed a systemic vulnerability. When sensitive data is housed in centralized systems, it only takes one place for the hackers to gain access to (in the crypto world this is referred to as a ‘single point of failure’).
Hackers targeting this single source can gain access to everything - causing widespread damage.
In this particular case, the breach was severe enough that the leaked data was made public, leading to further complications. Even if the attack was contained, the damage done to the patients’ trust in their healthcare provider is irreversible.
Why current solutions aren’t efficient anymore
Healthcare providers are doing their best to protect themselves against these threats, but many are relying on outdated security methods. And as cyberattacks become more sophisticated, this approach just isn't enough.
The solution is already here: Multi-Party Computation (MPC)
What if there was a way to ensure that patient data could never be fully accessed by anyone - hackers or even others in general - no matter how sophisticated the attack?
Multi-Party Computation (MPC) offers just that: a way for multiple parties to process and compute data collaboratively while keeping the information encrypted and secure at all times.
This pioneering technology works by splitting the data into separate pieces, distributed across multiple locations, so that no single entity can access or reconstruct it in its entirety.
Even in the event of a breach, attackers cannot access sensitive data without the cooperation of multiple, separately secured parts.
By implementing MPC, healthcare organizations could take the following key steps toward a safer future:
Decentralization of data: Instead of storing all patient information in one place, which is prone to being attacked, MPC distributes the data. Each part of the data remains encrypted, meaning even if an attacker accesses one part, they cannot piece together the full picture. This prevents the complete leakage of sensitive health information.
Increased control for patients: MPC enables individuals to have more control over their data. Rather than the data being stored centrally, patients could grant specific parties access to parts of their information while keeping other aspects of their health entirely private, limiting exposure and misuse.
Real-Time protection: Since the data is always processed in an encrypted state, there’s no risk of information being exposed in its raw form. Even if hackers gain access to an institution's systems, the data remains protected and useless without the computational keys that only the person owning the data holds.
Collaboration without compromise: One of the most powerful aspects of MPC is that it allows organizations to share and collaborate on data securely without exposing individual data sets. Healthcare providers, insurance companies, and researchers can work together without compromising the privacy and confidentiality of patient records.
Why this matters for the future of healthcare
The breach at the Danish Private Practice hopefully serves as a wake-up call for healthcare institutions globally.
We cannot afford to wait until the next breach occurs. The implications for both patients and organizations are simply too severe. Adopting advanced technologies like MPC is no more a luxury, than a necessity.
MPC is a clear, practical solution that provides peace of mind for both healthcare providers and patients. It ensures that even if hackers gain access to an organization’s network, they will be unable to exploit or misuse sensitive data.
This level of protection is essential, not just for the integrity of the healthcare system, but for preserving the trust patients place in it.
Now is the time for healthcare systems to evolve and adapt. The future of patient data security lies in decentralization and encryption, and Multi-Party Computation is a proven technology that can make this vision a reality.
As we look ahead, the adoption of MPC is an opportunity to redefine what it means to protect patient data - ensuring that breaches like the one at the Danish Private Practices never happen again. It’s time to build a healthcare system that is as resilient as it is trusted.
