Cybersecurity news for hospitals and health systems

Several ransomware attacks with high publicity, such as the attack on Las Vegas-based University Medical Center, meat supplier JBS and software firm Kaseya, have all been linked with the infamous hacker group REvil.

Kaseya was informed of a major cybersecurity hole in its IT management software in early April, three months before a ransomware group took hostage its information systems in an ongoing attack, The Wall Street Journal reported July 7. 

A ransomware attack on Practicefirst Medical Management Solutions and PBS Medcode has left more than 1 million people exposed after hackers stole patient files.

An attack on Biloxi, Miss.-based Coastal Family Health Center, Mississippi's fourth-largest community healthcare provider, has exposed 62,342 patients.

Federal authorities are recommending that organizations affected by the July 2 ransomware attack on IT management software company Kaseya implement a slew of protections to remediate the issue. 

Researchers from Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan launched a study to see if Americans were aware their data was being breached, according to a July 1 NextGov report.

The REvil ransomware gang is trying to extort $70 million from IT security management software company Kaseya, The Wall Street Journal reports. 

Increasingly, healthcare organizations are the targets of cybersecurity attacks. While securing and controlling the complex health IT environment is difficult, taking a holistic approach that addresses vulnerabilities from the front line to the back office can help.

Kroger has agreed to pay $5 million to settle claims related to the data breach on file transfer vendor Accellion, according to June 30 California federal court documents.

Arlington, Va.-based health insurer Dominion National has agreed to pay a $2 million settlement over a data breach it discovered in April 2019.