Cybersecurity

Cryptocurrencies have fallen off their record highs, with the global cryptocurrency market losing nearly $550 billion in just under a month, according to CNBC.

In the HHS Office for Civil Rights' January newsletter, the agency highlighted 10 steps hospitals should take to decrease their likelihood of becoming a "cyber extortion" victim.

CarePlus Health Plans, a Florida-based insurer specializing in Medicare Advantage HMO plans, began notifying 11,200 members this week to a potential privacy breach, company spokeswoman Nancy Hanewinckel confirmed to Becker's Hospital Review.

Everett-based Western Washington Medical Group notified 842 patients in January after it discovered its janitorial service failed to shred some medical records and other protected health information prior to disposal.

The Texas Hospital Association is partnering with Clearwater Compliance, a healthcare cyber risk management and regulatory compliance solutions company.

Cisco, Apple, Aon and Allianz joined forces Monday to roll out a cyber risk management solution for businesses.

Of January's 116 total data breaches, healthcare accounted for 31 of them, or about 26.7 percent, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center's January data breach report.

Bangor-based Eastern Maine Medical Center began mailing letters Feb. 1 to 660 patients after it failed to locate a portable external computer hard drive containing their personal health information.

Horne, a company Hattiesburg, Miss.-based Forrest General Hospital enlists to provide certain Medicaid reimbursement services, discovered one of its employees had fallen victim to an ongoing phishing attack that may have compromised Forrest's patients' protected health information.

Ransomware, a type of malicious software that holds a victim's files hostage until hackers are paid a ransom, is now recognized by the Oxford English Dictionary, according to The Washington Times.