Content by Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

Abbott Issues Software Patches for More Cardiac Devices

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 20, 2018

Abbott Laboratories has issued software updates for certain implantable cardiac devices to address cybersecurity flaws and battery issues that pose potential safety risks to patients. The problems were also the subject of previous warnings by two federal agencies.

FDA Proposes Action to Enhance Medical Device Cybersecurity

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 18, 2018

The FDA has issued plans for advancing the safety of medical devices, including a proposal to impose new cybersecurity requirements on manufacturers. Some experts say the FDA's plans are a good move, given the current device risk environment, but they warn that some proposals could prove difficult to achieve.

Health Data Breach Tally Spikes in Recent Weeks

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 17, 2018

The reporting of major health data breaches has spiked in recent weeks, with a wide variety of incidents reported. So what's behind the surge?

Using Deception Technology to Stay Ahead of Cyber Threats

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 16, 2018

To stay ahead of evolving cyber threats, healthcare entities need to deploy a defense-in-depth strategy that includes tapping more advanced tools, including deception technology, says security expert Elie Nasrallah of HITRUST.

Email Breach at Oxygen Equipment Maker Affects 30,000

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 13, 2018

Unauthorized access to an employee's email account has resulted in a breach affecting 30,000 current and former rental customers of Inogen, a maker and supplier of oxygen equipment, which notes that its insurance may not cover all related costs.

HHS Warns of SamSam Ransomware Attacks

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 12, 2018

The Department of Health and Human Services is warning the healthcare sector about ongoing attacks involving SamSam ransomware that have impacted at least eight U.S. organizations so far this year. What mitigation steps are recommended?

Facebook's Zuckerberg Pledges Worldwide GDPR Compliance

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 11, 2018

At a U.S. House hearing Wednesday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company would eventually comply worldwide with the European Union's tough privacy law, the General Data Protection Regulation.

Senators Raise Issue of Regulating Facebook

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 10, 2018

At the first of two Congressional hearings this week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday faced questions from Republicans and Democrats alike about whether the government should more closely regulate his firm and others.

The Impact of All 50 States Having Breach Notification Laws

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 9, 2018

With Alabama and South Dakota recently becoming the last two states to adopt breach notification laws, notification processes become more complicated, says privacy attorney Adam Greene, who offers an in-depth analysis.

Under Armour Mobile App Breach: Lessons to Learn

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 9, 2018

The recent data breach impacting 150 million user accounts of Under Armour's MyFitnessPal application and website offers important lessons for mobile app developers, security expert Joan Pepin explains in this interview.

Should HHS Offer Incentives for Cybersecurity Frameworks?

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 4, 2018

Should federal regulators provide physicians with a free pass from having to conduct a HIPAA risk analysis or face a random HIPAA compliance audit if they implement a cybersecurity framework? That's what the AMA is proposing. Security experts weigh in with reactions.

Verifying Vendors' Security Programs

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 3, 2018

Organizations need to carefully assess - and then verify - the data security controls their existing - and prospective - vendors have implemented, says privacy and security expert Rebecca Herold, who offers a range of vendor management tips in an in-depth interview.

Guilty Pleas in Criminal Insider Breach Case

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  April 2, 2018

Insiders with access to paper records can pose a serious fraud threat, as recent guilty pleas in an Oklahoma healthcare case illustrate. Experts offer advice on addressing the insider threat.

Under Armour Reports Massive Breach of MyFitnessPal App

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 30, 2018

Under Armour says an unauthorized intruder gained access to information for the accounts of 150 million users of its MyFitnessPal mobile app and website. Learn why some fear the breach could lead to a massive phishing campaign.

Why Is Shadow IT So Common in Healthcare?

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  March 29, 2018

The unauthorized deployment of an unsecured patient database is the latest instance of "shadow IT" spotlighted by a Department of Veterans Affair's watchdog agency. The incident serves as a reminder to all healthcare entities about the patient data risks posed by unsanctioned technology deployments.