Healthcare data continues to be valuable on the black market. Cybersecurity risks have increased during COVID-19.
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Ransomware is a huge risk to healthcare entities. A ransomware attack commonly occurs when a bad actor encrypts or locks an entity’s data, while demanding money to restore access.
Most ransomware attacks are started through a phishing email and a single download.
A recent ransomware attack on the University of California San Francisco began with a $3 Million demand. Netwalker was the responsible ransomware gang.
Following negotiations with Netwalker, UCSF paid $1.14 Million to unlock their data.
Netwalker’s website resembles a standard customer-service website. It has an FAQ tab, live chat, and a ‘free’ sample of software. Their website also had a countdown timer related to when they will delete data or increase the ransom price.
UCSF ultimately decided to pay the ransom to protect their data.
So how do you protect your practice?
First and foremost, make sure that all of your security measures are compliant with HIPAA and up-to-date.
Next, it is essential that you train your employees. Phishing emails target employees and can look very legitimate.
If you need help updating your HIPAA Risk Assessment or training employees, contact your healthcare attorney.
Employees should be trained often on the risks of phishing and threats to your practice. It’s a good idea to send fake phishing emails to staff and provide follow-up training.
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