Cybersecurity

The digital security of healthcare institutions and data is a growing concern, with an increasing number of cyberattacks each year against healthcare systems, which are seen as easy targets. Cyber attacks often use ransomware to target personal health information, patient data and medical devices to cut off access to the data until a ransom is payed to the hacker. Cybercriminals have become more sophisticated, using malware, ransomware and spyware to attack outdated and vulnerable systems and software. Due to the interconnected nature of hospital IT systems today, the weakest link can be older web-enabled medical devices, including clinical and non-clinical systems. Employees are also a major target of attacks via malicious e-mails that prompt them to open attachments that then download malware onto the hospital's IT system.

103K Medicare beneficiaries issued new IDs after ‘data incident’ at CMS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said “malicious actors” created fake accounts for Medicare beneficiaries through the agency’s patient portal, using stolen data from an unknown source. The incident is being investigated.
Radiology group cyberattack exposes private info of over 150,000 patients
The information exposed during the attack included names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and service charges.
Health data possibly exposed in 'sophisticated' cyberattack on Aflac
A “sophisticated cybercrime group” is being blamed for an attack on the network of the private insurer, which may have exposed social security numbers and protected health information. The incident is still being investigated.
UnitedHealth subsidiary exposes 5.5M patient records to hackers
Health IT company Episource confirmed a ransomware attack of its network exposed data from payer and provider customers alike, with details such as medical diagnoses and treatments possibly stolen by nefarious actors.
Kettering Health hit with class-action lawsuit weeks after ransomware attack
Law firm Wright & Schulte said they filed a legal complaint on behalf of patients, pointing to the health system’s alleged lack of transparency and negligence in protecting data as the basis for the lawsuit.

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103K Medicare beneficiaries issued new IDs after ‘data incident’ at CMS

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said “malicious actors” created fake accounts for Medicare beneficiaries through the agency’s patient portal, using stolen data from an unknown source. The incident is being investigated.

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Radiology group cyberattack exposes private info of over 150,000 patients

The information exposed during the attack included names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and service charges.

Health data possibly exposed in 'sophisticated' cyberattack on Aflac

A “sophisticated cybercrime group” is being blamed for an attack on the network of the private insurer, which may have exposed social security numbers and protected health information. The incident is still being investigated.

UnitedHealth subsidiary exposes 5.5M patient records to hackers

Health IT company Episource confirmed a ransomware attack of its network exposed data from payer and provider customers alike, with details such as medical diagnoses and treatments possibly stolen by nefarious actors.

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Kettering Health hit with class-action lawsuit weeks after ransomware attack

Law firm Wright & Schulte said they filed a legal complaint on behalf of patients, pointing to the health system’s alleged lack of transparency and negligence in protecting data as the basis for the lawsuit.

Dental marketing firm Gargle likely source of 8M leaked patient records

Researchers at Cybernews said they discovered a database online containing patient names, contact information and appointment records from millions of patients who received dental care. No one has claimed the database. However, clues point to it belonging to Gargle, an industry marketing group.

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Fraud prevention expert charged with over 167 suspected incidents of healthcare fraud

Faranak Firozan, 47, is a cybersecurity expert at Nvidia who regularly spoke on the topic of “cyber laundering.” Prosecutors in California allege she submitted fraudulent medical claims to an employer-sponsored insurance plan, bilking Cigna out of $100,000.

GE HealthCare recalls legacy cardiology information systems due to security risk

GE HealthCare has warned that the devices could potentially be accessed and manipulated by an outside party. The FDA has classified this as a Class II recall.