International Journal in IT & Engineering (IJITE) Volume 9 Issue 4, April 2021 ISSN: 2321-1776 Impact Factor: 7.256 Journal Homepage: http://ijmr.net.in, Email: irjmss@gmail.com Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International Journal 1 International Journal in IT and Engineering http://ijmr.net.in, Email: irjmss@gmail.com HEALTHCARE CYBERSECURITY LESSONS FROM COVID Kenneth Okereafor, PhD Deputy General Manager, Enterprise Application & Security, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Abuja, NIGERIA. Dr. Olajide Adebola Chief Technology Officer, Home Plus Medicare Services Ltd. Abuja, NIGERIA. Abstract COVID has become a universal game changer, given its permanent and monumental impacts across industries and geographies. In the healthcare industry, there have been widespread computer security disruptions due to cyber-attacks on the data generated by, or processed within hospitals, medical supply companies, and pharmaceutical organizations. These disruptions have affected health insurance data, patient information, and clinical records, with significant impacts on pharmaceutical data, diagnostic results, and medical research data. This review paper attempts a high-level review of the impacts of, and lessons from Cybersecurity in the healthcare industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, and makes recommendations for protecting sensitive healthcare data from unauthorized disclosure, unlawful alterations, and malicious modifications. Keywords: Cyber-attack, cybercrime, Cybersecurity, data integrity, healthcare data, patient safety, unauthorized disclosure. 1.0 INTRODUCTION: UNDERSTANDING THE LINK BETWEEN COVID AND HEALTHCARE DATA SECURITY The impacts and severity of Cybersecurity breaches that hit the healthcare industry during the COVID-19 pandemic have changed the industry’s perception of data security. It has become clearer and inevitable that protecting healthcare data from unauthorized access, unlawful disclosure, and malicious alterations is no longer an exclusive role of the Information Technology experts and Cybersecurity professionals alone, but a shared responsibility involving anyone that generates, uses, exchanges, views, or processes health-related information with the aid of digital assets. Those in this category usually do any or combinations of these:  Rely on software solutions to process health insurance data, including claims management, drug administration, medical bills, referrals, and hospitalizations.  Use a mobile phone to schedule medical appointments or access health advisories.  Use internet resources to exchange fitness and medical information.  Use innovative medical devices and software to manage health outcomes.  Use web resources to analyze healthcare statistics and related trends.  Patronize online therapeutic services via web resources.