Wired recently reported that there were a whopping 44 health care-related incidents just one month after Change Healthcare’s ransomware payment came to light. Protect your company by joining ACA’s free Cybersecurity Collective, which can help you keep up with cyber threat trends.
06/25/2024 3:25 P.M.
4 minute read
The Change Healthcare cyberattack announced earlier this year has had ongoing aftereffects on doctors, health care facilities and patients.
At a U.S. Senate Committee on Finance hearing, UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty said that cybercriminals accessed Change Healthcare through a server that was not protected by multi-factor authentication. The company paid a $22 million ransom to hackers. A second criminal group reportedly tried to extort Change Healthcare as well, but the provider has not issued a statement on whether or not it paid that second ransom.
According to a new report from Wired, the Change Healthcare ransomware attack may be incentivizing a new wave of attacks on other health care groups.
The article states that in April, the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future tracked 44 cases of cybercriminal groups targeting health care organizations with ransomware attacks, resulting in more health care victims of ransomware than in any month Recorded Future has seen in four years of collecting that data.
While Allan Liska, a threat intelligence analyst at Recorded Future, told Wired that he can’t be sure of the reason for that spike, he argues it’s unlikely to be a coincidence that it follows in the wake of Change Healthcare’s payout to the hacker group.
Stay Ahead of Security Threats
ACA’s Cybersecurity Collective, an exclusive resource of ACA membership, provides a private forum for members to learn about the latest cyber threats and ask questions about cybersecurity.
“In an era where cyber threats are ever-evolving, ACA’s Cybersecurity Collective offers a valuable opportunity to provide best practices, guidance, and experience,” said Bryan Albertson, Chief Information Officer, Harris & Harris. “I believe this collective has the potential to harness diverse expertise and resources to combat many of the cyber risks we face today.”
Who Should Participate
ACA’s Cybersecurity Collective is for Qualified Individuals as defined by the Safeguards Rule and ACA members in a cybersecurity/IT or management role.
While designed for ACA members, nonmember security experts that work directly with ACA member companies can also participate. We know your third-party security vendors are top-notch, but we want to ensure they understand what’s going on in our specific neck of the woods. Invite them to join our Cybersecurity Collective to keep up with the latest threats and get takeaways they can use to build your defenses.
What You’ll Get From the Collective
- Connections: You’ll be connected to a group of cybersecurity enthusiasts and professionals who are eager to share insights and offer guidance. Whether you’re a seasoned expert or just dipping your toes into the world of digital security, this is the perfect opportunity to learn, share and grow together. The Cybersecurity Collective is meant to be a free resource to augment your cybersecurity risk assessments and compliance management system.
- Access to a Private LinkedIn Group: Do you have burning questions about cybersecurity trends, best practices, or emerging threats? Don’t hesitate to post them in our private LinkedIn group! This group will have free-flowing input, and all Cybersecurity Collective members can participate. We may have a different discussion topic each week, which will be especially helpful when news breaks on data breaches (such as the recent United Healthcare cyber-attack). You’ll also get insights on new mitigation strategies to reduce your risks.
- Quarterly Webinars: We will host an interactive cybersecurity webinar series to discuss the latest in IT and security. Security experts from TPx, ACA’s IT Alliance partner, will host these webinars to explore and explain critical cybersecurity topics. We’ll also have special guests! The first Zoom webinar will be held in September. Stay tuned for more details.
How to Join
- Begin by logging in to ACA’s website. If you do not have an account, please create one.
- Agree to the Cybersecurity Collective Community Terms of Participation document on the Cybersecurity Collective page.
- Watch your inbox for a welcome email. (Will be sent within 1 business day for members.)
- The welcome email will have a link to our private Cybersecurity Collective LinkedIn Group. Once there, click the request to join to get full access to all of our content, links and conversations!
- When you are approved to join the Cybersecurity Collective, you’ll also be able to see bonus content on our Cybersecurity Collective page.
Questions? Contact ACA’s Member Services team by email here or by phone at (800) 269-1607.
Request access to the Cybersecurity Collective here.
Remember, subscribe to ACA Daily and Member Alerts under your My ACA profile when logged in to acainternational.org.