FBI pull up your scope – cyber attacks will continue in hospital
By Prempal Singh
Speaking at the American Medical center Association’s gross annual membership conference, FBI Director James Comey said that one of the important thing approaches the bureau is taking to improve its responses to internet security threats is to build more robust relationships with “private community entities, according to an article posted on the FierceHealthcare website. Hospital executive groups that don’t know at least a single person at the FBI’s local field office are “failing, and we are going to failing, ” he said.
Comey urged hospitals to let go of the potential fears that may come from enlisting the help of the FBI. example, the bureau has no interest in private medical information and data, he said, and any internal information will not be used against a provider. Instead, groups injured in a cyber attack will be treated like a sufferer of a crime.
Health care organizations are major targets for cybercriminals, Comey said because the delicate data they acquire can be sold at a high price use with fraud and identity robbery. Medical devices are also increasingly becoming a goal.
He determined three areas that providers should consider as they develop ideas to avoid or reduce cyber threats:
1. The “weak link” in internet attacks is people, relating to Comey. Therefore, providers must create a culture of security in their organizations. This includes training personnel to recognize and prevent cyber crimes, and it may require a second look at who has high-level entry to a hospital’s databases. The more avenues there are for the best levels of security, the easier they can be to breach, he said.
2. Providers should also address vulnerabilities in their technology by updating and patching systems regularly to prevent intrusion, Comey said. Regular system tests can also help flag weaknesses before a hacker can get in.
3. A business continuity plan can prevent downtime and help providers avoid having to pay in the case of a ransomware attack, he mentioned. Real-time data backups can relieve the pain of this kind of attack, as they allow an organization to continue work without needing to give into a hacker’s requirements.
Source: www.ptcommunity.com