A network breach in a hospital is never “just an IT issue”. In our simulated exercise, a single exposed service and a set of weak credentials were enough to move from the internet to systems that support clinical operations and ePHI. This case study shows how quickly a technical misconfiguration turns into a risk to care delivery.

What Happened

During a controlled penetration test, we were able to pivot from the internet into the client’s internal network by chaining three weaknesses:

• Misconfigured perimeter firewalls

• Exposed remote-access services

• Re-used and outdated credentials

No patient records were accessed, but the path to critical clinical systems was technically open.

What the Test Revealed

• Legacy firewall rules still allowed unnecessary inbound traffic

• Internet-facing admin portals had weak authentication

• Internal network segments were flat, with limited isolation between clinical and non-clinical systems

In other words: one compromised account could have been enough to move quietly toward ePHI.Final Thought

Why This Matters for Healthcare

In hospitals and clinics, a breach is not just about data loss:

• Ransomware can disrupt imaging, lab, and scheduling systems

• Downtime directly impacts care delivery and patient safety

• Regulators now expect clear evidence of how perimeter risks are identified and closed

How an In-Tenant SOC Reduces This Risk

An in-tenant 24/7 SOC changes the equation:

• Continuous monitoring of exposed services and firewall changes

• Detection rules tuned to remote-access abuse and lateral movement

• Clear playbooks for isolating affected assets before attackers reach clinical systems

Key Takeaway

Most “net breaches” start with small configuration gaps that stay invisible for years. Regular offensive testing plus an in-tenant SOC that watches your own tenant, with your own data, is what turns those silent openings into controlled, measurable risk.