3 Tips for Healthcare Organizations to Guard Against Vishing and Smishing

Providers need to be vigilant about protecting themselves and patients against different forms of phishing.

While clinicians, staff members and patients have been conditioned to be skeptical of unusual messages that land in email inboxes, suspicious calls and texts present another vulnerability.

People often avoid unknown numbers trying to contact them, but it only takes one unwitting victim to undermine the security of an entire organization. Health systems now find themselves on the receiving end of these phone attacks, which are similar to phishing.

Vishing, or voice phishing, involves the use of fraudulent phone numbers, voice-altering software and social engineering tactics to trick a person into divulging sensitive information over a phone call. Smishing leverages SMS to deceive and manipulate victims using text messages. Both tactics have gained traction in recent years, posing a significant challenge to the security and privacy of healthcare providers and their patients…