Journal Article

Cybersecurity Threats in Saudi Healthcare: Exploring Email Communication Practices to Enhance Cybersecurity Among Healthcare Employees in Saudi Arabia

Shadadi, Ebtesam, Ibrahim, Rasha, Ghadafi, Essam

2025

Overview

As cyber threats such as phishing and ransomware continue to escalate, healthcare systems are facing significant challenges in protecting sensitive data and ensuring operational continuity. This study explores how email communication practices influence cybersecurity in Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector, particularly within the framework of rapid digitalisation under Vision 2030. The research employs a qualitative approach, with semi-structured interviews conducted with 40 healthcare professionals across various hospitals. A phenomenological analysis of the data revealed several key vulnerabilities, including inconsistent cybersecurity training, a reliance on informal messaging apps, and limited awareness of phishing tactics. The inconsistent cybersecurity training across regions emerged as a major weakness affecting overall resilience. These findings, grounded in rich qualitative data, offer a significant standalone contribution to understanding cybersecurity in healthcare settings. The findings highlight the need for mandatory training and awareness programmes and policy reforms to enhance cyber resilience within healthcare settings.

• Publisher: MDPI AG
• Subject: Analysis / Artificial intelligence / Communication / Cybercrime / Cybersecurity / cybersecurity awareness / Cyberterrorism / Dark web / Data integrity / Data security / Digitization / Electronic mail / Electronic mail systems / email communication / Employees / Health care / Health care industry / Health care reform / healthcare sector / Human error / Internet / Malware / Medical personnel / Methods / Organizational communication / Phishing / phishing attacks / Prevention / Qualitative analysis / Ransomware / Resilience / Safety and security measures / Saudi Arabia / Training