In today’s digital landscape, the health sector’s heavy reliance on third-party vendors makes them incredibly susceptible to cybersecurity incidents – a point exemplified by the recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a software company processing patient payments for hospitals and pharmacies. This incident had disastrous effects on healthcare providers nationwide.
Erik Decker, Intermountain Health’s Chief Information Security Officer, highlights the crucial need for increased transparency in the industry, especially in the wake of a major cybersecurity breach. Speaking at a recent conference at HIMSS in Orlando, Decker elucidated how an attack on a large healthcare software vendor affects the entire ecosystem, necessitating a concerted response from all parties.
However, it’s not as simple as freely sharing information following an attack. Healthcare providers face numerous challenges when it comes to such disclosure, largely due to legal concerns, the risk of reputational damage, or the potential for increased cybersecurity vulnerability. As a result, organizations are often stuck navigating a precarious balance between maintaining public transparency and ensuring that they’re not prematurely sharing speculative or potentially damaging details.
After an incident, Decker suggests waiting approximately 36 to 72 hours to gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation. Once an organization arrives at a solid understanding of what transpired, they should then share what they know with entities like the FBI or Health-ISAC.
Decker underscores the significance of sharing ‘indicators of compromise’ through the federal government, as it allows others to inspect their internal environments for any potential threats. This vigilance is important, as perpetrators of these cyberattacks continuously evolve and shift their tactics.
Ultimately, Decker stresses, the key is learning from incidents like the one experienced by Change Healthcare and willingly sharing those lessons with industry counterparts. He points out the University of Vermont Health Network as a model, noting the transparency they exhibited after a ransomware attack. By sharing their experience, they made vital corrections, instructed industry contemporaries, and bolstered overall sector preparedness.
Read more on the original article here: Intermountain Health CISO: The Industry Needs Better Transparency After Cyberattacks.