In-brief: Software- and hardware related failures already may already affect patient outcomes, experts say, but nobody is measuring it.
Medicine
REPORT: 2015 Sees Big Jump in Ransomware Attacks
In-brief: 2015 was a record year for ransomware, according to Symantec’s latest Internet Security Threat Report. There’s evidence that cyber criminals are coupling ransomware with sophisticated, targeted attacks.
Update: Regulator says Ransomware Infections Likely Reportable Under HIPAA
In-brief: The Department of Health and Human Services issued guidance that declared most ransomware infections to be reportable under the Federal HIPAA patient privacy law.
Chronic Condition: Study Finds Medical Device Flaws Go Unfixed
In-brief: Old and outdated software continues to plague medical environments, opening the doors to infections and data loss, even by long-forgotten computer viruses, according to a report by the security firm TrapX.
Report: Feds Mull Bug Bounty Contest for Medical Devices
In-brief: Following the success of the Hack the Pentagon bug bounty program, officials at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are considering launching a similar program aimed at medical devices and other healthcare systems.
