Authors: Natalia Ivanovna Baranova, Dmitry Alekseevich Tikhonov, Yulia Sergeevna Pankratova, Ivan Mikhailovich Rogozin
Abstract: Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are foundational to modern healthcare systems, but they are also lucrative targets for cyberattacks due to the sensitivity of medical data. Ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of EHRs requires robust server-level defenses. This study investigates the implementation of adaptive Unix server hardening models tailored for healthcare environments. It outlines a layered approach to security that integrates dynamic configuration baselines, continuous monitoring, and compliance mapping to standards like HIPAA, HITRUST, and NIST. Through adaptive hardening strategies, including automated shell scripts, auditing frameworks, and anomaly detection, we propose a defense-in-depth model that significantly enhances EHR security posture. Real-world use cases and benchmarks validate its practicality in live healthcare infrastructures.
