When use or disclosure of an individual’s health information or medical records is at issue, the assumption seems to be, much more often than not, that the HIPAA privacy and security rules apply. This has certainly been the case during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, it is true that in most healthcare settings, HIPAA is
The Key to NYC and Other Cities’ COVID-19 Vaccine Proof Mandates, and Potential Privacy Issues
Cities step up their efforts to combat the COVID-19 Delta variant. New York City, New Orleans, and San Francisco have all announced requirements for certain persons to produce evidence of COVID vaccination status in order to patronize or work indoors at certain establishments. Adding to an already complex patchwork of COVID-related regulation –
California State Healthcare Worker Accesses COVID-19 Data on More Than 2,000 Patients and Employees
As we noted in late January 2020, the spread of infectious disease raises particular concerns for healthcare workers who want to do their jobs and care for their patients, while also protect themselves and their families. Perhaps the desire to protect one’s self and family is what motivated a California state healthcare worker to access
Want to Know if Your Employees Received the COVID-19 Vaccine? Some Best Practices to Consider
While its rollout has been slow, the vaccine is being administered across the U.S. and in other countries. As of January 15, 2021, nearly 36 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, just over 11 million in the U.S. For a variety of reasons, organizations want to know whether their workforce members
UK and US Issue Joint Cybersecurity Alert Concerning Explosion of COVID-19 Phishing Attacks
In the US, many organizations anxiously awaiting assistance under the CARES Act are becoming the targets of cyberattackers looking to feed off of the massive relief being provided by the US treasury. Yesterday, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) issued a joint alert warning of a substantial increase in these attacks, providing helpful guidance concerning the nature of the attacks and related information.
Specifically, the alert provides information on exploitation by cybercriminal and advanced persistent threat (APT) groups of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic. It includes a non-exhaustive list of indicators of compromise (IOCs) for detection as well as mitigation advice. The alert notes that the surge in teleworking has increased the use of potentially vulnerable services, such as virtual private networks (VPNs), amplifying the threat to individuals and organizations.
Organizations may not be able to prevent all attacks, but there are steps they could take to minimize the chance and impact of a successful attack, and to be prepared to respond. Here are just a few of those steps.
Before an Attack
- Build the right team
- Ensure you have an IT team in place, whether internal or through a third-party vendor, that is well-versed in emerging threats and prepared to support the organization in the event of an attack.
- Secure the systems
- Conduct a risk assessment and penetration test to understand the potential for exposure to malware.
- Implement technical measures and policies that can prevent an attack, such as endpoint security, multi-factor authentication, regular updates to virus and malware definitions/protections, intrusion prevention software and web browser protection, and monitor user activity for unauthorized and high risk activities.
- Make your employees aware of the risks and steps they must take in case of an attack
- This is particularly critical now – educate employees on how to recognize phishing attacks and dangerous sites — say it, show them, and do it regularly. This includes instructing them to use caution when clicking directly on links in emails, even if the sender appears to be known — verify web addresses independently.
- Employees should avoid revealing personal or financial information about themselves, other employees, customers, and the company in email, including wiring instructions. If they must, they should confirm by phone.
- Direct employees to pay attention to the URL of a website. Malicious websites may look identical to a legitimate site, but the URL may use a variation in spelling or a different domain (e.g., .com vs. .net).
- Instruct employees on what to do immediately if they believe an attack has occurred (e.g., notify IT, disconnect from network, and other measures) and what not to do (e.g., deleting system files, attempting to restore the system to an earlier date, and the like).
- Maintain backups
- Backup data early and often.
- Keep backup files disconnected from the network and in separate locations.
- Develop and practice an “Incident Response Plan”
- Identify the internal team (e.g., leadership, IT, general counsel, and HR).
- Identify the external team (e.g., insurance carrier, outside legal counsel, forensic investigator, and public relations).
- Outline steps for organizational continuity — using backup files and new equipment, safeguarding systems, and updating employees.
- Plan to involve law enforcement (e.g., FBI, IRS, Office of Civil Rights, and so on).
- Plan to identify, assess, and comply with legal and contractual obligations.
- Practice the response plan with the internal and external teams, reviewing and updating the plan to improve performance.
After an Attack
Continue Reading UK and US Issue Joint Cybersecurity Alert Concerning Explosion of COVID-19 Phishing Attacks