Federal agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and HHS issued an alert advising that health care providers are under increased and imminent threat of cybercrime. The agencies warn providers to take timely and reasonable precautions to protect their network from these threats. Scott Martin with VHCA-VCAL’s endorsed risk management partner RCM&D adds that members with cyber insurance policies review resources provided by their carriers to stay in front of trending activity. Most carrier provide access to a range of valuable information to protect against such threats. 

The advisory describes the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by cybercriminals against targets in the healthcare and public health sector to infect systems with Ryuk ransomware for financial gain. 

Additional Information

• Alert (AA20-302A): Ransomware Activity Targeting the Healthcare and Public Health Sector (us-cert.cisa.gov, October 28, 2020)
• FBI warns ransomware assault threatens US healthcare system (ap.news.com, October 29, 2020)