Caleb Skeath, Shayan Karbassi, and Ashden Fein of Covington & Burling write: In February, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) published a blog post that elucidated key security principles from recent FTC data security and privacy orders. Specifically, the FTC highlighted three practices that the Commission regards as “effectively protect[ing] user data.” These practices include: (1) offering multi-factor…
Category: Commentaries and Analyses
Cyber Plan Would Hold Software Makers Responsible in Hacks
Katrina Manson reports: The Biden administration is set to release an aggressive new national cybersecurity strategy on Thursday that seeks to shift the blame from companies that get hacked to software manufacturers and device makers, putting it on a potential collision course with big technology companies. The 35-page strategy, shared in advance with a group…
CISA Advisory: Royal Ransomware
Release Date: March 02, 2023 Alert Code: AA23-061A SUMMARY Note: This joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) is part of an ongoing #StopRansomware effort to publish advisories for network defenders that detail various ransomware variants and ransomware threat actors. These #StopRansomware advisories include recently and historically observed tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) and indicators of compromise (IOCs) to help organizations…
Minneapolis Public Schools systems restored, no ransom paid
Jeremiah Jacobsen has an update to the “encryption event” previously disclosed by Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS). [Note: MPS’s phrase “encryption event” appeared to be a ridiculous — and dare we say, sleazy– attempt not to call it a “ransomware attack.” The district still has not described it as ransomware attack.] Minneapolis Public Schools released a…
HHS OCR creates new HIPAA enforcement arm and enhances focus on cybersecurity and privacy oversight
Marcy Wilder, Scott Loughlin, Melissa Bianchi, Paul Otto, and Alyssa Golay of Hogan Lovells write: This week the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the agency responsible for HIPAA enforcement, announced the formation of three new divisions within the Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”). The new divisions – Enforcement, Policy, and Strategic Planning –…
Lubbock Heart and Surgical Hospital sued for breach where no one knows for sure whether data was accessed or acquired
If the victim of a cyberattack cannot determine whether data was accessed or acquired, should that increase the damages sought by plaintiffs in a class action suit? Or should it get the suit tossed out because the plaintiffs can’t prove any theft of their data? Kelly Mehorter reports about a class action lawsuit filed against…