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 Cybercriminals have become more sophisticated, using malware, ransomware and spyware to attack outdated and vulnerable systems and software.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.

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Closed business still owes $100K for HIPAA violations

A receiver for Filefax has agreed to pay $100,000 from its liquidated estate to the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) after being found in violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule.

Healthcare trails other industries in cybersecurity

The healthcare industry continues to struggle in ensuring patient information is protected and, according to a recent 2018 Security Scorecard report, ranks 15th out of 18 industries in terms of cybersecurity.

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50% of physicians put organizations at risk of security incident

At least half of physicians are scored in the “risk” category, meaning their actions put their organization at risk for a serious privacy or security incident, according to the 2017 State of Privacy and Security Awareness Report.

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Apple, Cisco, Aon, Allianz introduce approaches to cyber risk management

Cisco, Apple, Aon and Allianz have teamed up to release a cyber risk management solution for businesses.

Only 34% of Americans trust physicians

Trust in physicians and medical leaders has steadily declined over the past few decades, with only a quarter of Americans having confidence in the healthcare system.

Florida orthopedics practice sues Allscripts after ransomware attack

The Surfside Non-Surgical Orthopedics in Boynton Beach, Florida, has filed a lawsuit against Allscripts after a ransomware attack left the practice without online access for a week.

Fitness tracking app Strava reveals locations of US military bases

Strava, a fitness tracking app that uses data from wearables like Fitbit, has accidently revealed the locations of U.S. military bases in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.

Ransomware detections against businesses rose 90% in 2017

Ransomware attacks against consumers have risen 93 percent in 2017, while ransomware against businesses rose 90 percent, according the Malwarebytes Cybercrime Tactics and Techniques: 2017 State of Malware Report.

Around the web

Cardiovascular devices are more likely to be in a Class I recall than any other device type. The FDA's approval process appears to be at least partially responsible, though the agency is working to make some serious changes. We spoke to a researcher who has been tracking these data for years to learn more. 

Updated compensation data includes good news for multiple subspecialties. The new report also examines private equity's impact on employment models and how much male cardiologists earn compared to females.

When drugs are on the FDA’s shortage list, outsourcing facilities can produce their own compounded versions. When the FDA removed tirzepatide from that list with no warning, it created a considerable amount of chaos both behind the scenes and in pharmacies all over the country. 

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