Sinai Chicago
Modernizing defenses, reducing risk, and building a culture of security in healthcare.
The human side of cybersecurity
At Sinai Chicago, care begins with trust. Every diagnosis, every treatment, every moment between doctor and patient relies on it. But in today’s healthcare systems, that trust depends as much on protecting data as it does on providing care.
As ransomware and data breaches surged across the healthcare industry, Sinai’s leadership understood the stakes. A single breach could disrupt care delivery and compromise patient safety.
They decided to act before attackers could—by treating cybersecurity as a core extension of their mission to protect lives.
Seeing vulnerability as opportunity
Like many modern health systems, Sinai had embraced digital transformation. Electronic health records, connected devices, and cloud systems improved patient access and operational efficiency—but also expanded the attack surface.
The challenge was clear: identify weaknesses before adversaries did, strengthen every point of access, and build defenses that could adapt to an evolving threat landscape.
Sinai sought a cybersecurity partner that could go beyond compliance checks—one that could think like an attacker, collaborate like an ally, and empower their teams to sustain progress long after the engagement ended.
Turning collaboration into protection
Working with a cybersecurity partner, Sinai launched a multi-year program to strengthen its digital defenses, improve visibility, and foster a shared culture of security across the organization.
The transformation centered on four priorities:
- Real-world threat simulation
Continuous penetration testing and red-team exercises exposed vulnerabilities and guided remediation before attackers could exploit them.
- Identity and access hardening
Simulated credential and privilege-escalation attacks informed new access controls, ensuring that only the right people had the right access at the right time.
- Continuous risk mitigation
Instead of one-off audits, Sinai adopted an evolving risk-reduction roadmap, updated quarterly to respond to emerging threats.
- Cross-functional working sessions
Live collaboration replaced passive training, enabling IT, clinical, and compliance teams to share ownership of cybersecurity outcomes.
Tangible impact, lasting change
Within the first year, Sinai achieved measurable results:
- 35%+ reduction in cybersecurity risk exposure across digital systems
- Faster detection and response times through unified monitoring
- A stronger security culture, empowering teams across departments
“They didn’t just test our systems—they became part of our mission. Protecting patients starts with protecting the data that tells their stories.”
— Chief Information Security Officer, Sinai Chicago
Securing the future of care
Today, Sinai Chicago continues to evolve its security posture with confidence. The hospital’s systems are more resilient, its teams more connected, and its mission stronger than ever.
What began as a defense strategy has become a foundation for trust—protecting patients, staff, and the community that depends on them every day.