The client is a significant healthcare entity with various sites throughout the United States. It focuses on patient care, diagnostics, and electronic health records (EHR). Ensuring data security and regulatory compliance with laws such as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a top priority. Due to its size and industry, the provider is an ideal target for cybercriminals, especially those employing phishing schemes to exploit employee trust and obtain unauthorized access to sensitive information.
As a healthcare provider managing highly sensitive patient information, the organization was increasingly targeted by phishing emails disguised as internal communications. Cybercriminals impersonated HR representatives, IT support, and insurance partners, sending emails that prompted employees to click malicious links, download harmful attachments, or disclose login credentials. These deceptive emails led to several near-miss security breaches, raising concerns about the organization’s overall email security posture.
Beyond the technical vulnerabilities, lack of cybersecurity awareness among employees was a major risk factor. Many staff members, including administrative personnel and medical professionals, had not received structured training on recognizing phishing threats. As a result, suspicious emails often went unreported or improperly handled, increasing the risk of data breaches, identity theft, and non-compliance with HIPAA regulations. The provider needed an organization-wide security awareness program to mitigate these threats effectively.
To mitigate these challenges, TronsIT Solutions implemented a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, combining Cybersecurity Awareness Training and Proofpoint’s Advanced Email Security Suite, a technology-driven solution designed to detect, block, and respond to sophisticated email-based threats. As part of this initiative, simulated phishing campaigns were conducted across all departments to assess employee vulnerability, helping identify high-risk users who require additional training. Additionally, interactive training modules were introduced, providing role-based security awareness programs that covered common phishing tactics, warning signs, and best practices for secure email handling.
On the technology front, Proofpoint Targeted Attack Protection (TAP) was deployed to provide AI-driven threat detection, real-time email sandboxing, and automated URL rewriting, neutralizing malicious links before they could compromise employee credentials. To further strengthen email security, DMARC, DKIM, and SPF authentication protocols were implemented, preventing email spoofing and impersonation attacks through business email compromise (BEC) protection. Additionally, Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and automatic email encryption ensured that sensitive patient information, electronic health records (EHRs), and financial data remained secure, mitigating the risks of unauthorized access or regulatory non-compliance.
- 65% decrease in phishing-related security breaches within the first six months of deployment.
- Employees successfully detected and reported over 80% of simulated phishing emails, reducing their likelihood of falling victim to real phishing attacks.
- Identification of high-risk users led to targeted security measures, decreasing their susceptibility to phishing attempts by 70%.
- 90% participation rate in security training sessions across all departments, ensuring organization-wide cybersecurity awareness.
- Employee phishing detection rates increased from 45% to 90% post-training, leading to more proactive identification and reporting of suspicious emails.
- Employees developed a stronger understanding of phishing tactics, significantly reducing the number of incidents caused by human error.
- AI-driven threat detection proactively blocked phishing emails before they reached employee inboxes, eliminating exposure to deceptive emails.
- Email sandboxing successfully prevented employees from opening over 95% of malicious attachments and links, reducing malware infections.
- Automated URL rewriting neutralized 100% of links leading to credential-harvesting sites, preventing unauthorized account access.
- DMARC, DKIM, and SPF authentication protocols prevented email spoofing, reducing domain impersonation attacks by 85%.
- Business Email Compromise (BEC) protection stopped over 90% of impersonation attempts, preventing fraudulent email requests from executives or vendors.
- Improved fraud detection and response time, allowing the security team to investigate flagged emails within 30 minutes of reporting.
- Automatic email encryption ensured that 100% of sensitive patient data and confidential emails remained protected.
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP) rules successfully prevented unauthorized sharing of EHRs, financial data, and patient records, mitigating compliance risks.
- Achieved full compliance with HIPAA and HITECH Act, reducing the likelihood of regulatory penalties and audits.
