Stay updated with the latest healthcare cybersecurity trends, news, and tips to protect patient data and comply with medical industry security standards.
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Background for this topic.
Healthcare is the delivery of clinical care and related services through hospitals, clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, insurers, and connected medical devices. It depends on electronic health records (EHRs), patient identity systems, diagnostic and imaging platforms, medication and scheduling systems, and data exchanges between organizations. These environments hold sensitive health and payment information, while the availability and integrity of systems can affect treatment, diagnostics, and patient safety.
Security concerns include unauthorized access or disclosure of records, alteration of clinical data, and disruption of care through attacks on EHRs, connected devices, or third-party services. Defenses require risk-based access controls, strong authentication, network separation where appropriate, secure device and software maintenance, backups that support clinical continuity, and tested downtime and incident-response procedures. Vulnerability management must account for legacy systems and devices that cannot be patched quickly. Privacy and compliance obligations, such as HIPAA in the United States, shape how organizations collect, use, share, retain, and report health information.
The voluntary recommendations from the Department of Homeland Security cover how artificial intelligence should be used in the power grid, water system, air travel network, healthcare and other pieces of critical infrastructure.
Health System's Cyberattack Affected More Than 235,000 Patients, Employees, OthersA New York state court has approved a preliminary $1.5 million settlement of a consolidated proposed class action lawsuit against One Brooklyn Health System following a November 2022 cyberattack that involved theft of sensitive health data belonging to more than 235,000 people.
Also: Anticipating Donald Trump's Second Term; a Surprising Cybersecurity MergerIn the latest weekly update, ISMG editors explored the growing threat of disrupted ransomware attacks as a public health crisis, the potential global impact of a Donald Trump's second presidential term, and implications of the latest big merger in the cybersecurity market.
Vaccine Skeptic's Views on Health Privacy Not Well-KnownPresident elect Donald Trump said Thursday he will nominate prominent vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary to head up the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. His stances on health information privacy, security and healthcare sector cyber matters are not well known.
Vaccine Skeptic's Views on Health Privacy Not Well KnownPresident elect Donald Trump said Thursday he will nominate prominent vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary to head up the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. His stances on health information privacy, security and healthcare sector cyber matters are not well known.
New HSCC Publication Aims to Help Device, Drug Makers Improve Cyber ResponseA new playbook from the Health Sector Coordinating Council aims to help manufacturers of medical products such as pharmaceuticals, devices and durable equipment plot out and improve their response to ransomware attacks and other cyber incidents.
The serial extortionist of medical facilities stooped to cavernous lows in search of small payouts A rampant cybercrook and repeat attacker of medical facilities in the US is being sentenced to a decade in prison, around seven years after the first of his many crimes.…
Robert Purbeck, a 45-year-old man from Idaho, has been sentenced to ten years in prison for hacking at least 19 organizations in the United States, stealing the personal data of more than 132,000 people, and multiple extortion attempts. [...]
Stealthy Backdoor Publicly Available on GitHub Can Be Weaponized for Larger AttacksGodzilla webshell, a Chinese-language backdoor known for its stealth and ability to execute commands and manipulate files, is now publicly available on GitHub, and federal authorities have issued a stern warning to the healthcare sector to prepare for this threat and inevitable cyberattacks.
American Associated Pharmacies yet to officially confirm infection American Associated Pharmacies (AAP) is the latest US healthcare organization to have had its data stolen and encrypted by cyber-crooks, it is feared.…
'Wirte' Threat Actor Used Wiper That Checks if Victim Is Located in IsraelHackers likely connected to Palestinian militants Hamas were behind wiper attacks detected in October against Israeli organizations including hospitals and municipalities. Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point on Tuesday attributed the attacks to a group tracked as Wirte.
Georgia-Based Memorial Hospital and Manor Among Embargo Group's Latest VictimsEmbargo, a newcomer group to the ransomware scene, is threatening to begin publishing 1.15 terabytes of data belonging to a small rural Georgia hospital and nursing home attacked last week unless a ransom is paid before Tuesday. Experts say the double extortion gang disables victims' security tools.
UN Members Urge Better Critical Infrastructure Resilience to Counter ThreatsWith ransomware attacks on the rise and healthcare getting pummeled more than ever, a coalition of UN members urged countries to focus on collective critical infrastructure defense, while a senior White House official slammed Russia for continuing to harbor the criminals involved.