Many healthcare centres are unaware they have exposed ports in their clinics that could become the perfect backdoor for a cyberattack.
Imagine your clinic is a house with many doors. You always lock the main entrance, double-check it’s secure, and if possible, you set the alarm. But there’s a back door burglars know to check first. From experience — it’s the one that’s often left unlocked or poorly secured.
In the digital world, it’s much the same. Many healthcare providers have exposed ports in their clinics — digital access points left open to the internet that cybercriminals are all too familiar with. These ports might seem harmless, but they allow anyone to walk in uninvited.
That’s why it’s so important to understand what these digital doors are and how to secure them in your clinic. It’s not about becoming a tech expert — it’s about awareness and avoiding mistakes that could leave you unable to operate for weeks.
What Is an Exposed Port and Why Is It a Risk for Your Clinic?
For any IT system to work — whether it’s a computer, a server, or an electronic health records programme — it needs communication channels. Think of these as numbered doors (exposed ports in clinics) through which the data you use every day flows in and out.
For example:
🚪 Port 3389: allows remote access via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).
🚪 Port 445: enables file sharing between devices.
🚪 Port 21: used for sending documents via FTP.
These access points are normal. The problem arises when:
✅ No one checks whether the port is still needed.
✅ The port is left permanently open, even if no one uses it.
✅ The “lock” is weak or well-known to attackers.
It’s like having a back door at home that you used a lot in the beginning, but over time you think: “Well, it’s round the back, no one’s going to try it.” Until one day, someone pushes it — and walks right in.
In cybersecurity, that’s what we call an exposed port.
Why Is Such Sensitive Information So Easy to Find?
You might be wondering:
“How is it possible that something so important is so easy to discover?”
The answer is that when a server is connected to the internet, it’s just like a house on a public street. Even if you don’t invite anyone in, anyone walking by can still check whether your door responds when they knock.
Tools like Shodan do exactly that — but on a global scale:
Imagine Shodan as a silent scout wandering every street of the internet, checking door by door which systems respond. If it finds one that answers, it takes note and keeps moving.
It doesn’t need special permissions or do anything illegal — it simply collects what anyone could see, if they know where to look.
This information isn’t hidden. It’s part of how the internet works.
And if you’re not checking it, you can be certain that cybercriminals are.
Port 3389: The Most Tempting and Neglected Door
If you’ve made it this far, you already know your clinic has many digital doors that allow data to flow in and out. But there’s one that attackers know better than any other: port 3389.
This port exists because Windows includes a feature called Remote Desktop, which allows a technician to connect to your computer from anywhere and view everything on screen — as if they were sitting right in front of it.
Important: Windows doesn’t always enable it by default, but in many professional environments — servers, clinics — it gets activated during installation or by a provider for maintenance purposes. And over time, no one checks whether it’s still open.
In other words, even if you believe your clinic is fully locked down, the reality is you likely have a backdoor that:
✅ Is slightly ajar because a technician left it enabled.
✅ Is “locked” with a latch anyone knows how to pick.
✅ Or even has the key still sitting in the lock — without you realising.
The Silent Scout Checking If Your Port Is Ready to Open
Unlike other ports that only reveal a snippet of information, port 3389 allows someone to step inside and move around as if they were a legitimate user.
An attacker who manages to get hold of the password — whether by running thousands of automated combinations or using leaked credentials from the internet — doesn’t need anything else to gain access.
If your clinic doesn’t have an additional layer of verification (such as two-factor authentication, also known as MFA), that door is wide open.
In other words, here’s the reality of exposed ports in clinics:
“If your clinic has port 3389 exposed and unprotected, it’s like having a back door locked only with a rusty latch anyone can force open.”
Why Do So Many Attacks Still Happen Through This Door?
Because every attacker knows it’s there.
Because it’s convenient — and many activate it without thinking of the consequences.
And because it’s the quickest way to quietly take control of a system.
This is exactly what happened, for instance, in the attack on Zagreb University Hospital. Although not all details were made public, the incident bears striking similarities to what are known as RDP attacks — intrusions that begin by exploiting an open or poorly secured port 3389.
The group LockBit, which was behind the attack, frequently uses this method to silently break into hospitals and clinics across Europe and the Americas.
What You Can Do Today to Close These Ports and Protect Your Clinic
Now that you know your clinic may have invisible doors anyone can find, the question is simple:
What can you do today to reduce the risk?
You don’t need to become an expert. But you can make simple decisions that make a huge difference.
Here are some clear steps you can review with your IT team or tech provider to help close exposed ports in clinics:
Now That You Know Your Clinic May Have Invisible Doors Anyone Can Find — What Can You Do Today to Reduce the Risk?
You don’t need to become an expert. But you can make simple decisions that make a big difference.
Here are some clear steps you can review with your IT team or technology provider to help close exposed ports in clinics.
1. Identify Which Ports Are Open
Request a report of exposed ports. Make sure they specifically check for:
- Port 3389 (Remote Desktop access)
- Port 445 (File sharing)
- Port 21 (FTP)
- Port 22 (Remote access for Linux servers)
If you don’t have an in-house technical team, consider hiring a basic security audit.
2. Close Anything That Isn’t Essential
If a port isn’t being used, close it.
If it’s only needed occasionally, make sure it’s enabled only when necessary and closed again afterwards.
Think of it like checking every door and window in your clinic.
3. Strengthen the Ports That Must Remain Open
If port 3389 absolutely needs to stay active:
- Always use a VPN, so it isn’t exposed to the internet.
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- Change all passwords to strong, unique ones.
- Restrict access to trusted IP addresses only.
4. Keep Your Systems Updated and Monitor Access
- Make sure Windows and all software have the latest security updates.
- Set up alerts for suspicious login attempts.
- Regularly review access logs.
5. Secure Your Wi-Fi and User Accounts
- Set up a separate Wi-Fi network for staff, and an independent one for patients.
- Each staff member should have their own username and password.
- Use strong, unique passwords for all accounts.
Conclusion: Don’t Leave Your Clinic with the Back Door Ajar
Protecting your clinic isn’t about luck — it’s about checking which digital doors are open and deciding which ones to close for good.
Many cyberattacks don’t happen because of sophisticated technology, but because of small details that go unnoticed for years.
If all this sounds complex — that’s okay. What matters is that you take the first step. The sooner you review your attack surface, the sooner you reduce the risk of an incident that could shut down your operations or damage patient trust.
📥 Get Your Free Checklist
I’ve prepared a simple PDF checklist that explains in clear terms:
✅ How to find out if your clinic has exposed ports
✅ What questions to ask your IT provider
✅ Best practices for passwords, Wi-Fi and remote access
If you’d like to receive it, just drop me a message — no strings attached:
📧 auditoria@healthcarecybersecurity.eu
Recommended reading:
From the Lab to the Clinic: What Ransomware in Pharma Is Telling All of Us
Find out what recent ransomware incidents in the pharmaceutical sector can teach us about securing healthcare environments.
Lock the doors well. And the ports, too. Cyber-protect yourself.
