5 Questions Every Healthcare CIO Should Ask their team about a Secure Isolated Recovery Environment (SIRE)
Ransomware is no longer a question of if—it’s when. Healthcare is and will continue to be the #1 targeted industry for ransomware. So…the stakes are high and if the right decisions aren’t made, healthcare organizations can lose lives.
Many organizations believe they are prepared because they have backups or a disaster recovery plan. But smart CIO’s are turning to a Secure Isolated Recovery Environment (SIRE) because it is fundamentally different.
Use the checklist below to assess whether your organization is truly ready for a cyber attack.
Secure Isolated Recovery Environment (SIRE) Self-Assessment Checklist
- Is Your Recovery Environment Truly Isolated?
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- Is it physically or logically separated from your production network?
- Can it operate independently if your primary environment is compromised?
- Are there strict controls preventing horizontal movement into the IRE?
Why it matters:
If your recovery environment isn’t isolated, ransomware can reach it—making recovery impossible when you need it most.
- Do You Have Independent Identity & Access Controls?
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- Are authentication systems separate from Active Directory?
- Do you enforce MFA and strict role-based access within the IRE?
- Can administrators access the environment if core identity systems are down?
Why it matters:
Most attacks target identity first, why it’s the easiest. If your access controls are compromised, your recovery environment is too.
- Is Your Data Immutable and Validated?
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- Are backups protected from modification or deletion?
- Do you regularly verify that backups are clean and usable?
- Can you confidently restore without reintroducing malware?
Why it matters:
Recovering infected or corrupted data defeats the purpose of recovery entirely.
- Can You Actually Run Clinical Systems in the SIRE?
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- Can critical applications (EHR, imaging, etc.) function within the environment?
- Have you tested real-world workflows—not just theoretical recovery?
- Can clinicians access patient data during an outage?
Why it matters:
A Secure Isolated Recovery Environment (SIRE) isn’t just storage—it’s an operational environment that must support patient care under pressure.
- Are You Testing Recovery—Regularly?
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- Do you conduct routine failover and recovery testing?
- Are tests aligned to real ransomware scenarios?
- Do you measure recovery time objectives (RTOs) and outcomes?
Why it matters:
A plan that isn’t tested is just a document. In healthcare, that’s a risk you can’t afford.
The Reality Check – SIRE Checklist
If you answered “no” or “not sure” to some of these questions, your organization may not be ready for a cyber attack. A partial recovery plan is not enough; with healthcare statistics favoring attackers, a comprehensive and robust plan is essential.
How Comport Helps Healthcare Organizations Build Real SIREs
Building an effective SIRE requires more than technology—it requires deep healthcare expertise and real-world experience.
Comport works alongside healthcare organizations to:
- Assess current recovery gaps and risks
- Design fully isolated, secure recovery environments
- Integrate identity, security, and infrastructure into a cohesive strategy
- Test and validate recovery to ensure clinical continuity
What sets Comport apart is practical experience. Our leadership team understands healthcare from the inside—including hands-on hospital IT experience—and we’ve brought in industry experts like Michael Volpi, former VP of IT for a major health system, to help guide strategy and execution.
The result is an IRE designed not just for recovery—but for maintaining patient care when it matters most. Contact us today for help.
