Description

This curriculum spans the equivalent depth and specificity of a multi-workshop technical advisory engagement, addressing real-world implementation challenges in healthcare environments such as legacy medical device constraints, clinical workflow integration, and regulatory alignment with ISO 27799 across complex, hybrid IT systems.

Module 1: Aligning Malware Protection with ISO 27799 Control Objectives

Select whether to extend ISO 27799 malware controls to cover third-party hosted EHR systems based on data residency and processing agreements.
Determine the scope of malware protection controls for legacy medical devices that cannot support endpoint agents due to OS constraints.
Map ISO 27799 A.12.2.1 to existing technical controls in electronic health record (EHR) environments, ensuring audit logging captures malware detection events.
Decide whether to enforce malware scanning on personal devices used in bring-your-own-device (BYOD) telehealth programs, balancing privacy and compliance.
Integrate malware incident response procedures with ISO 27799 A.16.1.5, ensuring alignment with health information breach reporting timelines.
Assess whether cloud email gateways satisfy ISO 27799 A.13.2.3 for malware filtering in hybrid Microsoft 365 and on-prem Exchange environments.
Document exceptions to malware control implementation for clinical systems with uptime requirements exceeding patching maintenance windows.
Validate that mobile device management (MDM) policies for tablets used in patient intake enforce malware protection consistent with A.6.2.2.

Module 2: Risk Assessment and Threat Modeling for Healthcare Assets

Conduct threat modeling for Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) to evaluate malware risks from DICOM file transfers.
Classify medical IoT devices (e.g., infusion pumps, monitors) based on vulnerability exposure and determine appropriate malware mitigation tiers.
Use STRIDE to evaluate spoofing and tampering risks in HL7 message interfaces that could deliver malware payloads.
Identify high-value targets such as research databases containing genomic data for prioritized malware defense allocation.
Assess the risk of supply chain malware introduced via third-party software updates for radiology information systems (RIS).
Quantify the impact of ransomware on emergency department operations using business impact analysis (BIA) data.
Update asset inventories to include virtualized desktop infrastructure (VDI) instances used for remote clinical access.
Integrate threat intelligence feeds focused on healthcare-targeted malware (e.g., MedJack, RYUK) into risk scoring models.

Module 3: Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) and EDR Deployment

Select EPP vendors based on compatibility with Windows 10 IoT Enterprise used in clinical workstations and anesthesia machines.
Configure EDR sensors to exclude real-time scanning on anesthesia delivery system folders to prevent performance interference.
Define containment actions for EDR alerts on domain controllers hosting Active Directory Certificate Services for digital health certificates.
Implement application allowlisting on pharmacy dispensing terminals to prevent unauthorized software execution.
Coordinate EPP deployment schedules with clinical IT to avoid conflicts during patient admission surges.
Configure cloud workload protection for virtualized EHR application servers in AWS and Azure environments.
Adjust heuristic analysis sensitivity on pathology lab image analysis workstations to reduce false positives from large file processing.
Enforce firmware integrity checks on endpoint BIOS/UEFI for imaging equipment using Intel vPro or AMD PSP.

Module 4: Email and Web Gateway Security Controls

Configure secure email gateways to block .js, .vbs, and .zip attachments in inbound messages to clinical staff mailboxes.
Implement URL rewriting in web proxies to inspect HTTPS traffic for malware in cloud-based telehealth platforms.
Enforce sandboxing of all Office 365 email attachments containing macros before delivery to physician inboxes.
Whitelist medical journal websites in web filters while maintaining malware scanning for embedded scripts.
Deploy DMARC, DKIM, and SPF to prevent phishing emails impersonating hospital executive leadership.
Monitor proxy logs for anomalous POST requests from clinical workstations indicating potential malware beaconing.
Isolate web gateway update mechanisms from general internet access to prevent compromise of security infrastructure.
Configure content disarm and reconstruction (CDR) for all files downloaded from patient portal interfaces.

Module 5: Patch Management and Vulnerability Remediation

Schedule out-of-band patching for critical vulnerabilities (e.g., PrintNightmare) affecting clinical printing servers.
Coordinate with biomedical engineering teams to apply OS patches on connected devices during scheduled maintenance windows.
Use virtual patching via WAFs to protect unpatched legacy laboratory information systems (LIS) from exploit-based malware.
Implement automated rollback procedures for failed patches on EHR application servers.
Validate patch integrity using digital signatures before deployment to radiology reporting workstations.
Track unpatchable systems in a risk register with compensating controls such as network segmentation.
Integrate vulnerability scanner results with SIEM to correlate unpatched systems with malware detection events.
Enforce patch compliance for third-party vendor-managed systems through service level agreements (SLAs).

Module 6: Network Segmentation and Access Control

Design VLANs to isolate infusion pump networks from general hospital Wi-Fi while allowing telemetry to central monitoring.
Implement micro-segmentation for EHR database servers to restrict lateral movement after endpoint compromise.
Configure firewall rules to block outbound SMB traffic from non-server endpoints to prevent WannaCry propagation.
Enforce 802.1X authentication on clinical workstations to prevent unauthorized device connection to internal networks.
Deploy air-gapped backup networks for critical imaging archives to prevent ransomware encryption.
Use role-based firewall policies to restrict access to pharmacy inventory systems based on job function.
Monitor east-west traffic for DNS tunneling indicative of malware exfiltration from patient registration terminals.
Implement dynamic segmentation using SDN for temporary telehealth kiosks in outpatient clinics.

Module 7: Incident Response and Malware Containment

Define escalation thresholds for malware incidents based on number of infected endpoints in intensive care units.
Activate incident playbooks for ransomware in dialysis centers, prioritizing restoration of treatment scheduling systems.
Preserve memory dumps from infected anesthesia workstations for forensic analysis while maintaining patient safety.
Coordinate with public health authorities when malware impacts immunization record reporting systems.
Isolate compromised Active Directory servers using physical network disconnects to prevent credential theft.
Deploy temporary VLANs for clean workstations during large-scale malware outbreaks in emergency departments.
Document chain of custody for forensic images taken from pathology lab computers for potential legal proceedings.
Conduct post-incident tabletop exercises with clinical leadership to refine response procedures.

Module 8: Backup and Recovery Assurance

Validate backup integrity for EHR databases using automated restore testing in isolated sandbox environments.
Store offline backups of radiation oncology treatment plans in fireproof safes to prevent ransomware access.
Implement immutable storage for backup snapshots in cloud environments using AWS S3 Object Lock.
Test recovery of DICOM image archives from tape backups to ensure compatibility with current PACS software.
Enforce multi-person authorization for backup deletion operations to prevent insider threats.
Monitor backup job logs for signs of tampering, such as unexpected job cancellations during malware attacks.
Replicate backup catalogs to geographically separate sites to maintain recovery metadata during disasters.
Verify encryption of backup media transported between hospital campuses using FIPS 140-2 validated modules.

Module 9: Third-Party and Supply Chain Risk Management

Audit software bills of materials (SBOMs) for medical device firmware to identify vulnerable open-source components.
Require antivirus compatibility testing from vendors before deploying new cardiology information systems.
Enforce contractual clauses requiring prompt disclosure of malware incidents affecting hosted health data platforms.
Assess malware protection capabilities of cloud service providers through SOC 2 Type II reports.
Monitor vendor remote access sessions to clinical systems for unauthorized file transfers or execution.
Validate that software updates from laboratory equipment manufacturers are digitally signed and verified.
Restrict USB port access on third-party service laptops used for biomedical device maintenance.
Conduct on-site assessments of data center providers to verify physical and logical malware controls.

Module 10: Governance, Audit, and Continuous Monitoring

Generate quarterly reports on malware detection rates by department for review by the healthcare security steering committee.
Map EDR alert coverage to ISO 27799 A.12.4.1 and identify gaps in endpoint telemetry collection.
Conduct internal audits of antivirus exclusion lists to prevent abuse for malware evasion.
Integrate malware KPIs into executive dashboards, including mean time to detect and contain threats.
Review firewall rule changes monthly to eliminate overly permissive rules enabling malware communication.
Validate that SIEM correlation rules detect anomalous PowerShell usage indicative of malware execution.
Perform annual penetration tests focused on malware delivery vectors such as phishing and USB drops.
Update governance policies to reflect changes in telehealth infrastructure and associated malware risks.