Grant helps small healthcare provider become cyber-secure

Small healthcare providers can apply for subsidies to increase their digital resilience. The government has allocated a total of 1 million euros to improve digital security among this group.

Many small businesses and freelancers in the healthcare sector have not yet taken enough measures to ensure their cyber security. This is evident from data from the Digital Trust Center (DTC), part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. For this reason, the subsidy scheme "My Cyber Resilient Business" was created. This grant offers small businesses the chance to increase their digital resilience with financial support.

Insufficient digital maturity

Every year, thousands of companies - both large and small - are victims of a cyber attack. The healthcare sector is increasingly being targeted in this regard. This is partly due to the fact that the sector is becoming increasingly digitally connected. Yet, according to the center for cybersecurity in healthcare Z-CERT, healthcare is not sufficiently mature in terms of prevention and detection.

Small measures

This is especially true for small businesses and sole proprietors who often do not -like large healthcare providers- have the resources to invest in digital security. Still, for small businesses and sole proprietors, DTC says there are big gains to be made with relatively small measures, such as two-step login and e-mail security.

Consciousness

"We are committed to raising awareness about cyber risks in the healthcare sector so that companies take action to strengthen their cyber resilience," said Michel Verhagen of the DTC. "The grant can be an important support in this regard, for example for investments in backups, password managers and antivirus software."

Safety Check

The grant application begins with a cybersecurity check. After applicants complete this checklist, they receive suggestions on how to increase their cyber resilience. The CyberSafe Check is a requirement for applying for a grant.

The grant covers 50 percent of the cost of a cyber measure, up to a maximum of 1,250 euros. The grant is for companies with one to 50 employees and an annual turnover of up to 10 million euros. DTC recommends not waiting too long to apply for the grant. The scheme stops when the grant budget of 1 million euros is allocated.