Content by Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

GAO: HHS Has Not Implemented Critical Cyber Recommendations

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 10, 2019

The Department of Health and Human Services has yet to take certain critical actions to help enhance cybersecurity, according to a new GAO report that lists hundreds of recommendations for improving operations that have not been implemented.

Cyberattack Exposes PHI in Email Accounts

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 5, 2019

After months of review, a Georgia-based healthcare system has determined that a cyberattack last year exposed the protected health information of more than 278,000 individuals. Meanwhile, federal regulators have issued an alert about advanced persistent threats.

Groups Offer Ideas for Improving Healthcare Cybersecurity

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 3, 2019

Several industry groups have offered suggestions - ranging from better cyber information sharing to new regulatory "safe harbors" for entities complying with best practices - in response to Sen. Mark Warner's recent request seeking ideas for improving healthcare sector cybersecurity.

Medical Practice to Close in Wake of Ransomware Attack

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 2, 2019

A small Michigan medical practice that plans to permanently shut down in the wake of a recent ransomware attack is an example of the devastation that can result from a serious cyberattack.

Tracking Common Causes of Recent Health Data Breaches

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 1, 2019

What are the most common causes of major health data breaches that have been added to the official federal tally so far this year? Read this analysis to find out the details.

Analyzing the $7.5 Million UCLA Health Data Breach Settlement

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 29, 2019

A proposed settlement in a class action lawsuit filed against ULCA Health in the wake of a 2015 cyberattack affecting 4.5 million individuals stands apart from other settlements because it requires the organization to spend a substantial sum on improving its security, says attorney Steven Teppler.

Oregon Agency Reports Phishing Attack Affecting 350,000

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 25, 2019

The Oregon Department of Human Services is among the latest entities to reveal a phishing breach impacting the protected health information of hundreds of thousands of individuals.

Warnings Issued About Medtronic Cardiac Devices

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 22, 2019

Federal regulators and medical device maker Medtronic have issued new warnings about cybersecurity vulnerabilities in certain cardiac devices from the manufacturer that could potentially allow attackers to manipulate the products' functionality, posing safety risks to patients.

Email Server Migration Incident Impacts 277,000

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 21, 2019

An incident involving a third-party vendor migrating a server containing archived email of a medical device provider has resulted in a reported health data breach impacting more than 277,000 individuals. What went wrong?

Groups Ask FDA to Rethink Some Medical Device Cyber Proposals

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 20, 2019

The FDA is generally on the right track in updating guidance for the cybersecurity of premarket medical devices. But a variety of changes are needed, say some of the healthcare sector companies and groups that submitted feedback to the agency.

Mental Healthcare Providers Respond to Ransomware Attacks

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 15, 2019

Two recent ransomware attacks on mental healthcare providers serve as reminders of the security incident response and risk mitigation pressure faced by entities handling especially sensitive patient information.

Pen Testing of HHS Units Reveals Weaknesses

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 14, 2019

Operating divisions of the Department of Health and Human Services need to shore up security controls - including access controls and software patching - to more effectively detect and prevent cyberattacks, according to a new federal watchdog report.

Ransomware Attack on Vendor Affects 600,000

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 13, 2019

A ransomware attack last fall on a company that provides billing and other business services to health plans and hospitals resulted in a breach affecting more than 600,000 individuals, according to Michigan state officials. But what makes breach determination in ransomware attacks so difficult?

President's Proposed 2020 Budget: Impact on Cybersecurity

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 12, 2019

The Trump administration's proposed fiscal 2020 budget calls for substantial cuts at many non-defense agencies, but it would provide extra funding for certain cybersecurity-related efforts.

Guilty Plea in Rare HIPAA Criminal Case

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 8, 2019

A former patient coordinator at UPMC, a medical center in Pittsburgh, has pleaded guilty to wrongfully disclosing health information in a rare case involving criminal prosecution for violating HIPAA.