Content by Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

US Lawmakers Warned That AI Needs a 'Safety Brake'

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  September 12, 2023

As tech companies have jumped to incorporate AI in products, artificial intelligence with no human supervision runs the risk of catastrophe, warned two tech executives before a panel of U.S. senators who intend to introduce regulatory legislation later this year.

Feds Fine LA Health Plan $1.3M for 'Systemic' HIPAA Issues

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  September 12, 2023

Federal regulators have smacked a large California health plan with a $1.3 million fine to settle potential HIPAA violations for two relatively small breaches that affected about 2,250 individuals. But officials indicate "long-standing HIPAA deficiencies" were a "systemic" problem at the insurer.

Judge Gives Green Light to Meta Pixel Web Tracker Lawsuit

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  September 11, 2023

A federal judge has given the green light for attorneys to proceed with a consolidated class action lawsuit against Meta that accuses the social media giant of intercepting sensitive health information with its Pixel tracking tools used in numerous healthcare websites and patient portals.

Addressing Security Gaps and Risks Post-M&A in Healthcare

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  September 8, 2023

In the aftermath of mergers and acquisitions among healthcare entities - and the resulting IT integration and cost-cutting moves - gaps in technology and skills and other gaps often put organizations at higher risk for attacks and other security incidents, said Jack Danahy of NuHarbor Security.

Why Connected Devices Are Such a Risk to Outpatient Care

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  September 7, 2023

The number of connected devices used in healthcare is growing as manufacturers constantly introduce new types of IoT equipment. The ever-evolving threat landscape is making it harder for many entities, particularly outpatient care providers, to keep up, said Justin Foster, CTO of Forescout.

Just Kids Dental Says Nearly 130K People Affected by Attack

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  September 6, 2023

An Alabama pediatric dental practice is notifying nearly 130,000 patients that their sensitive information was compromised in a recent cyberattack. The entity appears to have potentially paid a ransom in exchange for a promise by hackers to destroy breached data without further releasing it.

Feds Publicly Name 130 Healthcare Firms Using Web Trackers

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  September 5, 2023

The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Health and Human Services have publicly named 130 hospitals and telehealth companies that were recently warned that the use of online tracking tools in their websites or mobile apps potentially violates federal data privacy and security regulations.

Medical Device Makers Taking a New Approach to Cybersecurity

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  September 4, 2023

New regulations, including those coming into effect in the U.S., are pushing many medical device makers to radically reconsider how they approach cybersecurity for their products - including air gapping connections, said Phil Englert of the Health Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

Read the Fine Print: Top Cyber Insurance Considerations

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  September 4, 2023

It is increasingly important for healthcare entities to carefully examine their cyber and other insurance policies to see what risks are covered in the event of a cyber incident, especially as the threat landscape continues to evolve, said attorney Peter Halprin, a partner at law firm Pasich LLP.

Threat Modeling Essentials for Generative AI in Healthcare

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  September 1, 2023

It's critical for healthcare sector entities considering - or already using - generative AI applications to create an extensive threat modeling infrastructure and understand all attack vectors, said Mervyn Chapman, principal consultant at consulting and managed services firm Ahead.

Insulin App Maker Faces Privacy Lawsuit for Web Tracker Use

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  August 31, 2023

Medical device maker Medtronic MiniMed violated patient privacy by using tracking and authentication technologies such as Google Analytics and Firebase in its InPen diabetes management app and services, according to a proposed federal class action lawsuit filed this week.

Updated Best Practice Playbook for Healthcare Cyberthreats

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  August 30, 2023

A recently updated guidance document developed by an advisory group to the Department of Health and Human Services can help all types of organizations within the healthcare sector be better prepared to deal with the latest cyberthreats, said attorney David Holtzman of HITprivacy LLC.

What's Behind Disturbing Breach Trends in Healthcare?

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  August 30, 2023

The number of major health data breaches is decreasing, but a recent disturbing trend reflects the vulnerability of critical vendors and the tenacity of cybercriminals, say John Delano, a vice president of Christus Health, and Mike Hamilton, CISO and co-founder of security firm Critical Insight.

Midwest Hospital Group Experiencing Systemwide IT Outage

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  August 29, 2023

Two organizations that operate clinics and hospitals in the Midwest are the latest medical care providers struggling with an enterprisewide IT outage affecting clinical and administrative applications. The incident appears similar to recent attacks on several other regional entities.

Cyber Info-Sharing Guide for Healthcare Sector Updated

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  August 28, 2023

Public-private cybersecurity councils urged the healthcare industry to be more expansive in sharing signs of hacking, warning that traditional indicators aren't enough. Fending off hackers requires additional shared data, such as SIEM rules and automated response playbooks.