SEO poisoning is a rising cybersecurity issue in the healthcare industry that targets and impersonates authentic websites to leadpeople to fraudulent websites.
What is SEO poisoning?
SEO poisoning, also known as Google hijacking, refers to the deceptive tactic used by cybercriminals to manipulate search engine results and direct unsuspecting users to malicious websites. This type of cyberattack combines several social engineering tactics with blackhat SEO practices to rank highly on the SERP. They exploit SEO vulnerabilities and users’ faith in search engines by leading them into attacker-controlled websites. These poisoned websites are embedded with harmful codes fraught with potential risks such as malware propagation, credential theft, and financial losses.
According to Blackberry’s global threat intelligence report of data tracked between December ‘22 and February ’23, search poisoning is a rising threat for the healthcare industry. It was found that healthcare institutions faced an average of 59 cyberattacks per day during this period, SEO poisoning. Such attacks are dangerous to the integrity and functionality of healthcare providers and pose significant challenges, such as:
● Violation of HIPAA regulations
● Leakage of protected patient information (PHI)
● Fines and penalties
● Legal repercussions
● Reputational damage
● Poor search ranking of practice website
Healthcare organizations can mitigate the risk of search poisoning by outsourcing their SEO to a reliable healthcare SEO agency. Experts can ensure secure website management and maximum online visibility.
The Impact of SEO Poisoning on the Healthcare Sector
The widespread rise of Google hijacking can have serious consequences for the healthcare industry due to the vast amounts of valuable, sensitive data they store. Digitization of the healthcare sector and evolving digital marketing strategies expose providers to various vulnerable incidents. The Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center issued an analyst note warning that this form of cyber security attack method is being used “frequently against the U.S. Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) sector.”
In recent years, the increasing sophistication of AI and search algorithms have enabled threat actors to evolve their search hijacking campaigns by customizing their attacks for specific audiences, making them more challenging. Practices must better understand the risks associated with such attacks and implement proactive security protocols for the safety of patient information and HIPAA compliance. By focusing on cyber threat detection, prevention and mitigation strategies, practices can maintain patient data integrity and regulatory compliance.
Cyber offenders employ numerous unethical, questionable, and illicit methods for the purpose of SEO spoiling, such as:
Various tactics used for SEO poisoning:
● Typosquatting
● Keyword stuffing
● Hijacking websites
● Aesthetic cloning
● Content cloaking
● Link manipulation
● Sneaky redirects
How to Identify SEO Spoiling Threats
Health facilities can detect key symptoms of search poisoning to determine whether their website has been affected or not, such as:
● Sudden drop in search ranking, especially for unrelated or uncommon keywords
● Excess spam of low-quality links or unfamiliar content on your website
● Website traffic redirected to unauthorized or unknown websites
● User feedbacks of encountering counterfeit or alternate websites
Best Practices for Protection of Healthcare Platforms
Here are some key recommendations for the prevention of SEO spoiling attacks:
● Conduct comprehensive website audits to evaluate the website’s potential risks on a regular basis and monitor for the signs of Google hijacking to address them swiftly with actionable steps.
● Use digital risk monitoring tool for typosquatting detection procedure to identify any attempted impersonation of your website by checking for new similar domain names registered on the internet.
● Implement stringent security measures such as endpoint protection, vulnerability scanning, and penetration testing for your practice’s website to reduce search poisoning attempts.
● Conduct frequent software updates and establish web filtering technologies to protect users from accessing harmful content and remove suspicious content
● Use Indicators of Compromise (IoC) list to create a record of cyber threats such as suspicious website behavior, phishing attempts, and inappropriate login attempts.
● Establish cyber security compliance training sessions for staff to educate employees about the risks of SEO poisoning attacks and stay updated on safe browsing practices, phishing awareness, and effective endpoint security measures.
Medical SEO services play a crucial role in enhancing the online visibility of healthcare providers, while also integrating cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive patient data and ensure compliance with regulations.
