Interviews

What the LockBit ransomware gang’s return means for healthcare

March 11, 2024 - Since its emergence four years ago, the LockBit ransomware gang has been ruthlessly targeting organizations across critical infrastructure at alarming rates. The group’s constant tactic modifications and vast network of affiliates enabled it to deploy ransomware against more than 2,000 victims and receive more than $120 million in ransom payments, according to the FBI. But in...

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Exploring the Role of Identity and Access Management in Healthcare

by Jill McKeon

Identity and access management (IAM) is a framework of processes, policies, and technologies that monitor digital identities, manage authentication controls, and grant employees and end users access to information that is relevant to their...

Top Healthcare Cybersecurity Predictions For This Year

by Jill McKeon

As the new year begins, the healthcare sector will undoubtedly continue to grapple with a significant volume of cybersecurity threats and challenges. The year 2023 saw record-breaking data breach figures, with more than 540 organizations...

How Digital Health Companies Navigate the Patchwork of State Data Privacy Laws

by Jill McKeon

Navigating compliance with HIPAA, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act, and other major statutes is a complex process for any organization. However, these laws apply nationwide, making it easier for organizations that operate in...

Navigating the SEC Cyber Incident Disclosure Rule, How It Impacts Healthcare

by Jill McKeon

Under the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) final rule on Cybersecurity Risk Management, Strategy, Governance, and Incident Disclosure, publicly traded companies now are required to disclose cyber incidents without...

Why Are Healthcare Data Breaches So Expensive?

by Jill McKeon

Healthcare data breaches can have far-ranging impacts on operations, security, and even patient safety. And to add insult to injury, breaches are more than likely to affect a healthcare organization’s bottom line. Healthcare...

Rural Healthcare Cybersecurity Aid Grows, But Challenges Persist

by Jill McKeon

Healthcare cybersecurity is a challenge for providers, network defenders, and regulators across the US, as exemplified by the influx of data breach notifications reported to HHS this year alone. But protecting patients and hospitals from...

What the US Cyber Trust Mark Means for IoT Security in Healthcare

by Jill McKeon

In July 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the creation of the US Cyber Trust Mark, a cybersecurity labeling program for Internet of Things (IoT) devices to help consumers make informed purchases with security in...

How the Health3PT Council Addresses Third-Party Risk Management Woes

by Jill McKeon

Healthcare third-party risk management (TPRM) is broken, according to the Health 3rd Party Trust (Health3PT) Initiative and Council. The council members would know – each is a healthcare security leader who has seen firsthand the...

How Providers Can Defend Against AI-Assisted Cyberattacks

by Jill McKeon

What once seemed like a far-fetched idea is now a reality — artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing steadily, enabling increased efficiency in a variety of sectors. Unfortunately, cyber threat actors can also leverage AI to...

How Did This Happen? Understanding the Issue of Third-Party Tracking Tech in Healthcare

by Jill McKeon

In June 2022, journalists discovered that a third of Newsweek’s top 100 hospitals in America had the Meta Pixel installed on their websites, which allegedly sent a packet of data to Facebook whenever a visitor clicked a button to...

How FTC Enforcement Actions Will Impact Telehealth Data Privacy

by Jill McKeon

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) made its stance on health data privacy and security abundantly clear with two recent high-profile settlements against GoodRx and BetterHelp, setting the stage for future enforcement actions and heightened...

Outdated Operating Systems Remain Key Medical Device Security Challenge

by Jill McKeon

Microsoft’s support of Windows 8.1 ended on January 10, meaning that the company will no longer provide software updates and technical assistance for that version of its operating system (OS). To reduce risk, Microsoft recommended...

Tackling Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) Challenges In Healthcare

by Jill McKeon

The majority of the top ten largest healthcare data breaches reported to HHS in 2022 stemmed from third-party vendors, signaling a need for better third-party risk management (TPRM) practices in the industry. However, healthcare...

How Sen. Warner Aims to Mitigate Healthcare Cybersecurity Risks Through Legislation

by Jill McKeon

Since releasing his policy options paper in November, Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) has been collecting feedback from industry experts on healthcare cybersecurity challenges and how to tackle them through policy and legislation. As...

How An Independent Practice Recovered From a Third-Party Ransomware Attack

by Jill McKeon

When Ed Bujold, MD, FAAFP, of Granite Falls Family Medical Care Center in North Carolina, found out in October 2021 that his practice had been impacted by a ransomware attack waged against its cloud vendor, he realized that he had three...

How Northwell Health Runs Its Cybersecurity Training and Awareness Program

by Jill McKeon

When it comes to cybersecurity, costly technology and high-end tools can only get organizations so far. Implementing a robust and dynamic cybersecurity training and awareness program is crucial to reducing risk and establishing a culture...

Top Free Resources For Improving Healthcare Cybersecurity

by Jill McKeon

The healthcare sector continues to face unprecedented levels of cyberattacks and data breaches. From state-sponsored threat actors to known vulnerabilities and phishing campaigns, the industry is up against a variety of dynamic...

3 Strategies for Healthcare Merger, Acquisition Cybersecurity Due Diligence

by Jill McKeon

Healthcare merger and acquisition (M&A) revenue reached a record high in the second quarter of 2022, as more healthcare organizations sought to join forces, improve quality of care, and lower healthcare costs. Conducting due diligence...

How HITECH Recognized Security Practices Boost Healthcare Cybersecurity

by Jill McKeon

A 2021 amendment to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act required the HHS Secretary to consider certain recognized security practices (RSPs) of covered entities and business associates when...

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