This week in health IT news, cybersecurity makes a splash as Forcepoint announces their latest Advanced Malware Detection (AMD) cloud service alongside the release of their new unified software for firewalls and intrusion prevention systems (IPS). The release may come at just the right time as a new low-cost form of ransomware, called Philadelphia, has been found hitting healthcare organizations on the west coast. And in Florida earlier this month, CIOs gathered at Tabor Communications’ inaugural event to discuss digital transformation as well as the emerging role of cybersecurity and its necessity within several different markets, including healthcare. Continue reading for more in this week’s health IT roundup.
Latest Firewall Solution Accelerates Response to Cyber Attacks
Forcepoint recently announced their newest Advanced Malware Detection (AMD) cloud service to be used alongside their latest Next Gen Firewall release. AMD uses the industry’s leading technology to uncover Zero-Day attacks and other advanced threats hidden in files that may be sent through your network. In the coming months, AMD will also be used will also be used by Forcepoint’s Web Security, Email Security and CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker), utilizing a multichannel approach to significantly accelerate response to attacks. Read more about the latest Forcepoint solution here.
Cybersecurity Discussed at Tabor Communications Inaugural Event
About 50 technology leaders from across industries got an exclusive glimpse into the intersection of big data and high performance computing during Tabor Communications’ inaugural Leverage Big Data + Enterprise High Performance Computing (LBD + EHPC) recent event in Florida. The event included companies such as Erickson, Cummins, Samsung, and UnitedHealth Group. A highlight of the conference was a presentation from former IDC industry analyst (now of Hyperion Research) Bob Sorensen, who spoke on “The Emerging Role of Advanced Computing in Cybersecurity.” Sorenson began by reviewing the current state of cyber based on a study of 62 companies, many of which are inaccurately guided by the belief that “we haven’t been breached yet, so we must be doing something right.” He said most organizations remain under-prepared even though best practices available today could help. Read the full story here.
New Low Cost Ransomware Hitting Health Organizations
A new version of the Stampado ransomware called Philadelphia has started being sold for just a few hundred dollars to cyber criminals looking to steal data with little cost and complexity. Forcepoint researcher Roland Dela Paz says “anyone can afford it”, and as such, it lowers the barrier to entry significantly for inexperienced criminals. Unfortunately the ransomware has already been used to infect hospitals in Oregon and Southwest Washington, Dela Paz said. Read the full story here.
Cybersecurity Attacks Hit 87% of Organizations in 2016
There is no doubt cyber crime — including ransomware attacks – is up, but the good news is organizations realize the need to take action. A recent report found the majority of IT professionals said their entity was affected by a cybersecurity attack in 2016, with half expecting to raise their security budgets. According to a recent Bitglass report, one in three respondents said had been hacked more than five times in the past 12 months, and over half of respondents also said that their entity planned to increase their overall security budgets this year. You can read the full story here.
