Healthcare Web Filtering
Protect patient data, medical devices, and clinical networks with HIPAA-compliant web filtering. Classify 100 million domains across 59 content categories to defend healthcare infrastructure from web-based content risks.
HIPAA Compliance & Security Safeguards
Meet HIPAA technical safeguard requirements with auditable, category-based web access controls
HIPAA Technical Safeguards
The HIPAA Security Rule requires covered entities to implement technical safeguards that protect electronic protected health information (ePHI). Web filtering is a recognized access control mechanism under Section 164.312.
- Restrict web access on systems that process ePHI
- Block categories associated with unsafe content, unauthorized data transfer, and non-business web usage
Audit & Logging Requirements
HIPAA requires organizations to maintain audit logs of system activity, including access controls. Our API returns detailed category classifications for every URL query, providing the raw data your logging infrastructure needs to create comprehensive audit trails.
- Demonstrate to auditors exactly which categories are blocked and which are allowed
- Show how policy decisions are enforced across your network
Medical Device Network Isolation
FDA guidance recommends network segmentation for connected medical devices. URL filtering at the segment boundary ensures that even if a medical device VLAN has limited internet access for software updates or telemetry, connections are restricted to approved categories.
- Block all non-essential web categories on device networks
- Minimize the attack surface for devices that cannot protect themselves
Ransomware Prevention
Healthcare has become the top target for ransomware operators because the urgency of patient care makes organizations more likely to pay. Over 60% of healthcare organizations experienced a ransomware attack in the past year.
- Block access to domains used for ransomware delivery, payload hosting, and payment infrastructure
- Stop the kill chain before ransomware reaches your network
Why Healthcare Networks Need Specialized Web Filtering
Healthcare organizations are the single most targeted sector for cyber attacks.
The Most Expensive Breach Category
A single healthcare data breach costs an average of $10.93 million, making it the most expensive breach category for over a decade running.
- Hospitals, clinics, and health systems hold a treasure trove of data worth more per record on the black market than any other industry
- Patient names, Social Security numbers, insurance information, medical histories, and payment details are all at stake
A Uniquely Complex Network Environment
The healthcare network environment is uniquely complex — every web-based content risk becomes a potential pathway to life-critical systems.
- Clinical workstations, electronic health record (EHR) systems, medical imaging devices, infusion pumps, patient monitoring equipment, and administrative systems all share network infrastructure
- Many medical devices run legacy operating systems that cannot be patched and lack built-in security features
- These devices connect to networks that also provide internet access for staff and patients
The IoMT Attack Surface
The proliferation of Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) devices has created an enormous attack surface in healthcare networks.
- Infusion pumps, patient monitors, imaging equipment, and laboratory analyzers now connect to hospital networks for data exchange, remote management, and software updates
- Many of these devices run embedded operating systems that cannot be updated and have no endpoint protection capabilities
A Foundational Defense Layer
URL-level filtering protects the entire network by classifying every domain request against our 100 million domain database — and wraps a protective layer around vulnerable devices.
- Block connections to known malicious infrastructure and prevent staff from visiting restricted content sites
- Enforce acceptable use policies that reduce the attack surface across clinical and administrative environments
- A compromised device cannot beacon to command-and-control infrastructure or download additional malicious payloads
- Our database classifies domains used by known medical device botnets and healthcare-targeted unsafe content campaigns
See our overview of enterprise content filtering for how this layer fits a broader defense strategy.
Managing Patient & Staff Network Access
Modern hospitals provide Wi-Fi access to patients, visitors, and staff on separate network segments — and each segment requires different filtering policies.
Precise Policies for Every Segment
Clinical workstations present the most sensitive filtering challenge — nurses and physicians access the internet from the same terminals they use to view patient records in the EHR.
- Our 59 categories allow healthcare IT teams to build precise allowlists for clinical tools while blocking everything that creates risk
- Maintained access to medical reference sites like UpToDate, drug interaction databases, clinical guidelines, and telehealth platforms
- All legitimate healthcare business operations stay available to administrative teams handling billing, insurance claims, and patient scheduling
Per-Segment Filtering Policies
Telehealth Platform Verification
Telehealth & Remote Clinician Security
Telehealth has become a permanent feature of healthcare delivery, with millions of virtual visits conducted annually — remote access creates web security challenges that traditional perimeter-based filtering cannot address.
- Clinicians conducting telehealth appointments from home offices or remote locations access patient data outside the controlled hospital network
- Our cloud-based URL classification API integrates with the endpoint agents and VPN concentrators healthcare organizations use for remote access
- Every web request from a remote clinician's device is classified in real time, extending HIPAA-compliant filtering to home offices and mobile connections
- Restricted content sites, unsafe content domains, and unauthorized cloud services are blocked regardless of where the clinician connects
Healthcare Web Filtering Use Cases
How hospitals and health systems use URL classification to protect patients and networks
Hospital Clinical Network Protection
Large hospital systems deploy web filtering across hundreds of clinical workstations that access EHR systems containing millions of patient records.
- Workstations reach approved medical resources, vendor update servers, and clinical decision support tools
- Blocks all categories associated with unsafe content delivery, restricted content, and personal internet usage that increases risk to ePHI
Patient Guest Wi-Fi Filtering
Hospitals offer guest Wi-Fi as a patient amenity, but this network shares physical infrastructure with clinical systems.
- Blocks unsafe content and explicit content while allowing patients to stream entertainment, use social media, and access general websites during their stay
- Prevents the guest network from becoming an entry point for attacks that could pivot to clinical segments
Medical Device VLAN Security
Connected medical devices are segmented onto dedicated VLANs, but many still require internet access for firmware updates, cloud telemetry, and vendor support.
- Restricts device networks to the minimum set of approved domains while blocking all categories not explicitly required
- Reduces the blast radius if a device is compromised and prevents lateral movement to critical systems
Multi-Site Health System Management
Health systems operating dozens of hospitals, outpatient clinics, and specialty centers need consistent web filtering policies across all locations.
- Centralized policy management with local enforcement — update a category policy once and it applies across every facility instantly
- Regional compliance variations handled through location-based policy profiles that account for state-specific regulations
Recommended Categories to Filter on Healthcare Networks
Categories blocked under HIPAA-aligned filtering policies
Ready to Protect Your Healthcare Network?
Deploy HIPAA-compliant web filtering across your health system. Protect patients, devices, and clinical infrastructure from web-based content risks.