Digital Health Cyber Security Centre
The Digital Health Cyber Security Centre has been established to strengthen the security of our national digital health systems and services; and to promote increased security awareness and maturity across the digital health sector.
Cyber Security Podcasts
For the latest podcasts on cyber security, visit the Podcasts page.
Security Awareness Training
Now, more than ever, it’s important to ensure people who work in healthcare are equipped to recognise and manage security risks. To support increased security awareness, the Agency has developed a free eLearning course, available at the Agency's online training centre. The Digital Health Security Awareness eLearning course includes five modules, with examples that relate cyber security concepts to people’s work in healthcare organisations. The course has been developed by the Agency’s cyber security team, in consultation with representatives from a range of healthcare settings and disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, practice management and allied health.
Cyber Security Guidance
The guidance materials below have been developed specifically for the Australian health sector, to promote awareness of information security, and provide practical advice regarding a range of cyber security topics.
- Manage your digital footprint - guidance to help you manage the trail of information you leave behind when using the internet and digital devices.
- Information Security Guide for small healthcare businesses - guidance for non-technical health professionals regarding issues such as privacy, passwords, software updates, back-ups and staff security awareness.
- Think before you click - things to consider when using email, the internet, social media and WiFi.
- Security Behaviours - developing a positive security culture within healthcare organisations.
- Your password - the key to all your information.
- Keeping your healthcare information secure – simple security and privacy tips for healthcare consumers
- Selecting secure IT products and services - guide and template for health professionals to assist in the procurement of secure information Technology products and services.
- Cloud services - guide for healthcare organisations can assist in assessing whether engaging a cloud service provider is appropriate for their business needs.
- Online conferencing technologies for healthcare providers - guide to assist with securely using online conferencing technologies to provide health services, including telehealth.
- Ransomware – preventing and recovering from an attack
- Patching - protecting healthcare information by updating systems and software
- Backups: prepare for an emergency – four steps to backing up information held by your practice
Additional Information Sources
Additional guidance materials and information is available on the following websites:
- Stay Smart Online – register to receive regular updates
- ScamWatch – register for the ScamWatch Radar service
- Australian Signals Directorate – cyber security mitigation advice
- Therapeutic Goods Administration – cyber security guidance for medical devices
