Content by Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

2.3 Billion Files Exposed Online: The Root Causes

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 22, 2019

Misconfigured file storage technologies and a lack of basic security controls are the root causes for the inadvertent online exposure of 2.3 billion files worldwide that contain personal information, including sensitive medical data, says Harrison Van Riper, a security researcher at Digital Shadows.

Phishing Attack Aimed at Stealing Payroll Deposits

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 19, 2019

A Texas-based healthcare system says hackers unsuccessfully tried to divert employee payroll direct deposits through a phishing attack that also potentially exposed patient data. The incident illustrates how business processes can help avert theft.

Patient Record Snooping Incident Leads to GDPR Fine

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 18, 2019

Authorities in the Netherlands recently levied a $516,000 fine under the General Data Protection Regulation against a hospital in the Hague in connection with a data breach involving "dozens" of staffers who snooped on the electronic medical records of a celebrity.

Impact of AMCA Breach Continues to Grow

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 18, 2019

The impact of the massive American Medical Collection Agency data breach continues to grow. At least two more laboratories have said their patients' data was potentially compromised by the breach. Meanwhile, court filings accuse AMCA of a lack of "cooperation and transparency" in the wake of the incident.

Insider Medicaid Fraud Case: 'An Important Reminder'

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 16, 2019

The sentencing of a former worker at a substance abuse treatment provider in connection with a Medicaid fraud conspiracy "is an important reminder about the threats from insiders," one privacy attorney says.

John Halamka: Mitigating Medical Device Security Risks

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 15, 2019

Enumerating medical devices, identifying where the security risks lie and then implementing a multilayered defense plan to mitigate risks should be top priorities for healthcare organizations, says thought leader John Halamka, M.D., executive director for technology exploration at Beth Israel Lahey Health.

Premera Signs $10 Million Breach Settlement With 30 States

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 11, 2019

Health insurer Premera Blue Cross has signed a $10 million HIPAA settlement with the attorneys general of 30 states in the wake of a 2014 data breach that exposed personal information on more than 10.4 million individuals nationwide.

Legal Implications of the AMCA Data Breach

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 11, 2019

The relationship between American Medical Collection Agency and its laboratory clients affected by the company's data breach will be closely examined as breach-related lawsuits progress, says attorney Paul Hales, a HIPAA specialist, who explains why.

Certain Anesthesia Devices Have Vulnerabilities: Researchers

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 10, 2019

Authentication vulnerabilities in certain GE Healthcare anesthesia devices could potentially allow remote attackers to meddle with the devices, researchers say. GE disputes some of the findings. Find out what other security experts have to say.

Open Source Genomic Analysis Software Flaw Patched

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 8, 2019

A cybersecurity vulnerability discovered in open source software used by organizations conducting genomic analysis could potentially have enabled hackers to affect the accuracy of patient treatment decisions. But the vulnerability was patched before hackers took advantage of it, researchers believe.

Adoption of Security Best Practices: A Status Report

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 3, 2019

A new study sizes up whether healthcare organizations are well prepared to battle evolving cyberthreats. Learn about the state of progress in adopting best security practices.

Health Data Breach Tally: A Mid-Year Update

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 2, 2019

With half of 2019 in the rear-view mirror, what are the emerging healthcare data breach trends so far this year? Hacker/IT incidents continue to be the dominant cause of breaches, while another formerly common cause - lost or stolen devices - has become relatively rare, according to the federal tally.

Can Patient Data Be Truly 'De-Identified' for Research?

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 1, 2019

A lawsuit against the University of Chicago Medical Center and Google seeking class action status points to the important privacy and security issues raised when sharing patient data for research purposes - and whether data can be truly "de-identified."

Case Study: Moving to DevSecOps

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  June 28, 2019

Since Sentara Healthcare adopted a DevSecOps approach, CISO Daniel Bowden says, his security team has gained improved visibility into the entire application development process.

Certain Insulin Pumps Recalled Due to Cybersecurity Issues

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  June 27, 2019

In a rare move, the Food and Drug Administration has warned patients that medical device maker Medtronic has issued a voluntary recall of certain wireless insulin pumps due to cybersecurity vulnerabilities that cannot be adequately patched.