Summary: In response to a surge in ransomware attacks on the healthcare sector, the White House is collaborating with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish minimum cybersecurity standards. Anne Neuberger, deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technologies, highlighted the need to address vulnerabilities linked to recent attacks, particularly the CitrixBleed exploit. The HHS, in a concept paper, reported a 93% increase in large breaches from 2018-2022 and a 273% surge in breaches involving ransomware. The proposed standards aim to enhance the resilience of the U.S. healthcare system, with the Biden administration concurrently working globally to curb ransomware payments, citing over $2.3 billion paid out in the last two years. Neuberger emphasized the importance of regular data backups, noting their role in expedited recovery for affected organizations.
December 4, 2023