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

Cybersecurity Threats in Saudi Healthcare: Exploring Email Communication Practices to Enhance Cybersecurity Among Healthcare Employees in Saudi Arabia. | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Cybersecurity Threats in Saudi Healthcare: Exploring Email Communication Practices to Enhance Cybersecurity Among Healthcare Employees in Saudi Arabia. Ebtesam Shadadi, Rasha Ibrahim, Essam Ghadafi This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6679418/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract As sophisticated cyber threats like phishing attacks, ransomware, and various hacker-driven exploits continue to rise, healthcare organisations are confronting unprecedented cybersecurity risk. These evolving methods target the sensitive data and critical systems that modern healthcare relies on, posing serious threats to operational integrity and patient safety. This research provides a comprehensive examination of the phishing attacks facing the healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia, a nation experiencing rapid digital transformation in line with Vision 2030. The study examines how healthcare employees in Saudi Arabia perceive and interact with email communication, a primary channel for cyberattacks. Using a qualitative approach that includes semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals, the findings reveal significant vulnerabilities arising from inconsistent training, an overreliance on informal messaging platforms, and limited awareness of phishing schemes. This dual focus provides valuable insights into the broader threat landscape and the specific behavioural and institutional practices that influence cybersecurity outcomes. The study highlights the urgent need for structured, mandatory cybersecurity training programs tailored to healthcare roles and policy reforms that address technological and human factors. Future research is recommended to further assess and bolster cybersecurity awareness and resilience across the sector through targeted, evidence-based interventions. Health sciences/Health care Physical sciences/Mathematics and computing healthcare Middle East Saudi Arabia cyberthreats cybersecurity Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. 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These evolving methods target the sensitive data and critical systems that modern healthcare relies on, posing serious threats to operational integrity and patient safety. This research provides a comprehensive examination of the phishing attacks facing the healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia, a nation experiencing rapid digital transformation in line with Vision 2030. The study examines how healthcare employees in Saudi Arabia perceive and interact with email communication, a primary channel for cyberattacks. Using a qualitative approach that includes semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals, the findings reveal significant vulnerabilities arising from inconsistent training, an overreliance on informal messaging platforms, and limited awareness of phishing schemes. 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