Why Healthcare Security Matters

ronjor · Apr 3, 2019

Hospital viruses: Fake cancerous nodes in CT scans, created by malware, trick radiologists

By Kim Zetter April 3 2019
Researchers in Israel created malware to draw attention to serious security weaknesses in medical imaging equipment and networks.
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guest · Apr 3, 2019

Groups Offer Ideas for Improving Healthcare Cybersecurity
April 3, 2019
https://www.inforisktoday.com/groups-offer-ideas-for-improving-healthcare-cybersecurity-a-12336

Several industry groups have offered suggestions - ranging from better cyber information sharing to new regulatory "safe harbors" for entities complying with best practices - to Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., in response to his recent request for input on how the healthcare sector can improve its cybersecurity posture.
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ronjor · Apr 4, 2019

Drug Sites Upend Doctor-Patient Relations: ‘It’s Restaurant-Menu Medicine’

By Natasha Singer and Katie Thomas April 2, 2019
The sites invert the usual practice of medicine by turning the act of prescribing drugs into a service. Instead of doctors making diagnoses and then suggesting treatments, patients request drugs and physicians serve largely as gatekeepers.
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ronjor · Apr 4, 2019

Three Pharmaceutical Companies Agree to Pay a Total of Over $122 Million to Resolve Allegations That They Paid Kickbacks Through Co-Pay Assistance Foundations

Thursday, April 4, 2019
The Department of Justice today announced that three pharmaceutical companies – Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (Jazz), Lundbeck LLC (Lundbeck), and Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Alexion) – have agreed to pay a total of $122.6 million to resolve allegations that they each violated the False Claims Act by illegally paying the Medicare or Civilian Health and Medical Program (ChampVA) copays for their own products, through purportedly independent foundations that the companies used as mere conduits.
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ronjor · Apr 4, 2019

Former Administrator of Two Houston Home Health Companies Sentenced to Prison in $20 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme Thursday, April 4, 2019

The former Director of Nursing and Administration of two Houston, Texas-based businesses was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for her role in a $20 million Medicare fraud scheme involving false and fraudulent claims for home health services.
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ronjor · Apr 4, 2019

FDA issues warning letter to genomics lab for illegally marketing genetic test that claims to predict patients’ responses to specific medications April 4, 2019

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter to Inova Genomics Laboratory (Inova) of Falls Church, Virginia, for illegally marketing certain genetic tests that have not been reviewed by the FDA for safety and effectiveness. The tests claim to predict patients’ responses to specific medications based on genetic variants. Selecting or changing drug treatment in response to the test results could lead to potentially serious health consequences for patients. The FDA is unaware of any data establishing that Inova’s tests can help patients or health care providers make appropriate treatment decisions for the listed drugs. The action today reflects the agency’s commitment to monitor the pharmacogenetic test landscape and take action when appropriate to address a significant public health risk.
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guest · Apr 4, 2019

Amazon's first HIPAA-compliant Alexa skills help track your healthcare
April 4, 2019
https://www.engadget.com/2019/04/04/amazon-alexa-hipaa-skills/

Amazon has unveiled the first-ever HIPAA-compliant Alexa skills, letting you use the voice assistant to take care of sensitive medical issues.

The company is well aware that people will be nervous about trusting their medical information to a voice assistant. In a statement to TechCrunch, Amazon noted that it securely stores data with access controls and encryption.
On top of this, HIPAA rules also require identifying any protected data as well as controlling and reviewing access. It's ultimately the individual developers' responsibility to ensure they honor the law, but Amazon is making sure it holds up its end of the bargain.

This is a major step for voice assistants, but not unexpected from a company that has been pushing aggressively into healthcare as of late.
Alexa is really just the next logical step -- Amazon could make itself indispensable to medical institutions wanting to simplify access to their services.
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guest · Apr 4, 2019

Consumers on Board with Securing Health Records
April 4, 2019
https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/consumers-on-board-with-securing-1/

As the healthcare industry continues to struggle with tightening up its cyber-defenses, consumers increasingly believe they play a role in securing their health information, according to a new report published by Morphisec.
The 2019 Consumer Healthcare: Cybersecurity Threat Index asked more than 1,000 consumers their opinions on the number of cyber-attacks targeting health information to understand consumer perspectives on their provider's cyber-defenses.

“With nearly 90% of health organization CIOs indicating they purchase cybersecurity software to comply with HIPAA, rather than to reduce threat risk, consumers have a right to be worried about the cyber-defenses protecting their health data,” said Tom Bain, VP of security strategy at Morphisec, in today’s press release.
“Merely checking the box that cybersecurity defenses meet HIPAA requirements isn’t enough to protect healthcare organizations today from advanced and zero-day attacks from FIN6 and other sophisticated attackers.”
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guest · Apr 6, 2019

ODJFS, Medicaid recipients involved in data leak
April 5, 2019
http://www.wfmj.com/story/40261275/odjfs-medicaid-recipients-involved-in-data-leak

Hundreds of Ohioans who receive benefits from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services or Medicaid may have inadvertently had their information leaked by a computer error.
According to a release, the Ohio Departments of Administrative Services, Medicaid, and Job and Family Services (ODJFS) are taking steps to address the potential disclosure of personal information in the Ohio Benefits System.

While the issue did not impact any benefits, officials say information about recipients may have been leaked.
A release says that the data potentially viewed in these incidents involved case and claim numbers, names, addresses, and may include contact information and dates of birth.
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guest · Apr 6, 2019

Texas Medical Network Attracts Most Healthcare Data Hacks But It Is Fighting Back
April 5, 2019
https://www.tpr.org/post/texas-medical-network-attracts-most-healthcare-data-hacks-it-fighting-back

Texas has led the country in total hacking breaches reported to HIPPA for four of the past five years. The state also ranked high in total number of records stolen, with more than 1.4 million individuals’ records stolen since 2014.
“We don’t see Texas hospitals as being any more vulnerable than other parts of the country,” said Lance Lunsford, vice president for communications at the Texas Hospitals Association.

Texas is the second-most populous state, and it has more hospitals and more places to attack, he said. California, the most populous state, also has high numbers of cyber-based data breaches. according to HHS.
Lunsford concedes Texas hospitals are having to devote more resources to cyber security, from large urban systems to remote rural clinics, and it gets harder the less money there is.
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guest · Apr 6, 2019

University Hospitals’ employee accidentally shared health information for hundreds of patients
April 5, 2019
https://www.cleveland.com/business/...lth-information-for-hundreds-of-patients.html

An employee at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital accidentally disclosed private health information for about 840 patients in late February, according to a news release today from the health system.

“While the email message itself did not contain any specific health information about any patient, the nature of the message implied all recipients receiving the message shared the same medical condition,” UH said.
UH launched an internal investigation the same day the email was sent and said the employee’s actions “violated UH policies and procedures.”
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guest · Apr 8, 2019

Hardin Memorial Hospital issues statement on ‘information technology disturbance
April 6, 2019
http://www.wave3.com/2019/04/07/har...statement-information-technology-disturbance/

An information technology disruption hit Hardin Memorial Hospital this weekend.
Viewers told WAVE 3 News there was a possible hacking at the healthcare facility.

A statement from Vice President Tracee Troutt reads in part: “The HMH IT team has secured and restored many systems so far -- and all services, including the HMH Care First urgent care centers, are open for care -- including the HMH Emergency Department. At no time during this event has the quality and safety of patient care been affected.”
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guest · Apr 9, 2019

Cyber crime warning as experts say hackers deliberately target hospitals
April 8, 2019
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/cyber-crime-warning-experts-say-hackers-deliberately-target/

Hospitals and the health care industry are being deliberately targeted by hackers, cyber criminals and spies seeking a treasure trove of personal and financial information, a business consultancy has warned.

With cyber crime and espionage rapidly evolving into a trillion-dollar industry, cyber criminals are becoming increasingly well-organised and professional.
Sensitive medical details of business leaders, politicians or military figures could also be of use to spies.

But healthcare institutions were often working with old computer systems and in the past may not have focused on security, even though they were a “target rich environment”.
“Information security has been low priority,” he said.
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ronjor · Apr 9, 2019

America’s $103 billion home health-care system is in crisis as worker shortages worsen

Bob Woods 09 Apr 2019
A startling 75 percent of Americans over 65 live with multiple chronic health conditions, ranging from diabetes to dementia.
The nation’s strained health-care system is trying to keep sick seniors out of hospitals, assisted-living facilities and nursing homes and instead have them cared for in their homes.
The U.S. spent an estimated $103 billion on home health care last year, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Overall employment of in-home aides is projected to grow 41 percent from 2016 to 2026 — translating to 7.8 million job openings.
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ronjor · Apr 9, 2019

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Federal Indictments & Law Enforcement Actions in One of the Largest Health Care Fraud Schemes Involving Telemedicine and Durable Medical Equipment Marketing Executives Results in Charges Against 24 Individuals Responsible for Over $1.2 Billion in Losses
Hundreds of Thousands of Elderly and/or Disabled Patients Nationwide and Abroad Lured into Criminal Scheme; Center for Program Integrity, Center for Medicare Services, Takes Administrative Action Against 130 DME Companies That Submitted Over $1.7 Billion
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guest · Apr 9, 2019

Weslaco hospital: patient data potentially compromised
April 9, 2019
https://www.valleymorningstar.com/n...cle_692baeba-5ada-11e9-b5ef-9b3b47696c64.html

Weslaco Regional Rehabilitation Hospital is notifying patients their information may have been compromised, according to a news release the hospital sent Monday.

The hospital’s investigation, which included a third-party forensic firm, found that some employees’ email accounts were compromised in October 2018, the news release stated.
Some emails included patient data, including names, dates of birth, health insurance info, patient-care info, social security numbers and driver’s licenses numbers, according to the news release.
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guest · Apr 9, 2019

Saratov: medical documents with personal data of patients found at landfill
The Regional Prosecutor's Office began checking reports of discarded medical cards and waste
April 9, 2019
https://en.crimerussia.com/gromkie-...-personal-data-of-patients-found-at-landfill/

In Saratov, illegal dumps of medical waste and documents with personal data of patients and staff of the medical organization were found in the courtyards of emergency houses. The Regional Prosecutor's Office is going to clarify the circumstances of the incident and its possible consequences, TASS reports.

Such dumps are periodically found in different parts of Russia. In the same Saratov region, the townspeople videotaped soaked medical cards thrown out onto the street, on which it was possible to find the names of patients and their diagnoses. On April 4, a lot of discarded data were found in Izhevsk, after which the ICR initiated the check.
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guest · Apr 9, 2019

Baystate Health suffers data breach
April 8, 2019
https://www.gazettenet.com/Hospital-says-patient-info-exposed-after-phishing-incident-24715494

A Massachusetts hospital says a data breach exposed information about some 12,000 patients.

Baystate Health of Springfield said Monday that a phishing incident resulted in unauthorized access to the email accounts of several employees between Feb. 7 and March 7.
The hospital says the accounts included patient names and dates of birth, certain health information and, in some cases, Medicare or Social Security numbers.
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guest · Apr 11, 2019

Healthcare organizations lagging behind NIST Cybersecurity Framework, HIPAA guidance
April 11, 2019
https://www.healthcareitnews.com/ne...d-nist-cybersecurity-framework-hipaa-guidance

Despite some halting progress with cybersecurity readiness, healthcare is still lacking in many key areas, according to a new progress report from the consultancy CynergisTek.
WHY IT MATTERS
To start with, the report – based on the results of assessments, audits and reviews performed by CynergisTek at some 600 healthcare organizations and business associates – found that, from the perspective of NIST CSF most of those orgs surveyed were still performing "well below where we would like to see them," said CynergisTek CEO Mac McMillan in the report.

It found an average 47 percent conformance with NIST CSF controls and an average 72 percent compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule.
For example, while hospitals and health systems may be meeting the letter of the law when it comes to HIPAA rules, CynergisTek researchers found that one of the key planks of conformance with NIST CSF – breach detection – was not where it should be for many of those organizations it assessed.
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ronjor · Apr 11, 2019

MD Anderson Cancer Center Appeals $4.3 Million HIPAA Fine

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee (HealthInfoSec) April 11, 2019
Organization List Reasons Why It Believes Breach-Related Penalty Was Not Justified
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guest · Apr 12, 2019

Patients at Toledo rehab hospital subject to data breach
April 10, 2019
https://www.toledoblade.com/news/me...ct-to-patient-data-breach/stories/20190409141

An undisclosed number of patients at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Northwest Ohio had their personal data compromised after “unauthorized access” to employee email accounts in October, hospital officials said.

Patient data, including names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license information, dates of birth, and health insurance and patient care information, was contained in the compromised emails.
Hospital officials said there is no indication the data was misused.
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ronjor · Apr 12, 2019

Healthcare again tops industries for cybersecurity attacks, data breaches

Author Meg Bryant April 11, 2019
Healthcare again led all industries in cybersecurity breaches in 2018, claiming a quarter of the more than 750 incidents reported, BakerHostetler's latest Data Security Incident Response Report shows.
Health information was the second most at-risk type of data in cyber incidents, making up fully a third of potentially compromised records. Social Security numbers were the most at risk at 37%. More than half (55%) of all incidents involved insider error or activity, according to the report.
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guest · Apr 13, 2019

Blue Cross of Idaho hacked, some member information accessed
April 12, 2019
https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Blue-Cross-of-Idaho-hacked-13763451.php

One of Idaho's largest insurance companies said Friday that someone hacked its website and obtained access to the personal information of about 5,600 customers, including their names, claim payment information and codes indicating medical procedures they may have undergone.
The company has about 560,000 health insurance customers.

Blue Cross of Idaho said the information did not include Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, banking or credit card numbers or information about medical diagnoses.
"We have not identified any unauthorized use of personal data and will keep close watch for illegitimate activity," Zurlo said.
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guest · Apr 15, 2019

Paywall...
Google Quietly Disbanded Another AI Review Board Following Disagreements
Panel members in U.K. chafed at lack of information access, authority and independence from Google
April 14, 2019
https://www.wsj.com/articles/google...iew-board-following-disagreements-11555250401

LONDON—Google is disbanding a panel here to review its artificial-intelligence work in health care, people familiar with the matter say, as disagreements about its effectiveness dogged one of the tech industry’s highest-profile efforts to govern itself.

The Alphabet unit is struggling with how best to set guidelines for its sometimes-sensitive work in AI -- the ability for computers to replicate tasks that only humans could do in the past. It also highlights the challenges Silicon Valley faces in setting up self-governance systems as governments around the world scrutinize issues ranging from privacy and consent to the growing influence of social media and screen addiction among children.

AI has recently become a target in that stepped-up push for oversight as some sensitive decision-making -- including employee recruitment, health-care diagnoses and law-enforcement profiling -- is increasingly being outsourced to algorithms. The European Commission is proposing a set of AI ethical guidelines and researchers have urged companies to adopt similar rules. But industry efforts to conduct such oversight in-house have been mixed.
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ronjor · Apr 15, 2019

Data Breaches in Healthcare Affect More Than Patient Data

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee (HealthInfoSec) • April 15, 2019
Blue Cross of Idaho and Palmetto Health Report Financial, Payroll Breaches
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