Naomi Diaz reports: The American Hospital Association said HHS’ plan to levy financial penalties in the event of a cyberattack on a healthcare organization would be counterproductive. In a Dec. 6 statement, the AHA said it is advocating for the HHS to review its proposal that requires healthcare organizations to be compliant with new cybersecurity requirements and…
Ted Cruz wants to stop the FCC from updating data-breach notification rules
Jon Brodkin reports: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and other Republican senators are fighting a Federal Communications Commission plan to impose new data-breach notification requirements on telecom providers. In a letter sent to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel today, the senators claim the pending FCC action would violate a congressional order. The letter was sent by Cruz, Sen. Minority…
White House cyber director confirmed in Senate
Martin Matishak reports: The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Harry Coker to be the country’s next cybersecurity czar, installing the former NSA official as President Joe Biden’s top cyber adviser at a time when the administration is working to revamp the nation’s digital posture. As the new head of the Office of the National Cyber Director,…
Russian banker of Hive ransomware network arrested in Paris
The following is an automatic machine translation of an article by Le Figaro with AFP: A Russian, suspected of having recovered in cryptocurrencies the money taken from French victims of the powerful Hive ransomware , dismantled in January, was arrested last week, AFP learned on Tuesday December 12 from the judicial police. The suspect, ”…
Attorney General James Secures $400,000 from Dental Insurance Provider for Failing to Protect Patient Data
Chris Boyle reports: New York Attorney General Letitia James today secured $400,000 from one of New York’s largest dental insurance providers, Healthplex, Inc. (Healthplex), for failing to properly protect the personal and medical information of New Yorkers. Healthplex, a Long Island-based company, had inadequate data security practices that made it susceptible to a data breach attack…
How cybercriminals are using Wyoming shell companies for global hacks
Raphael Satter reports: Somali reporter Abdalle Ahmed Mumin was doubly distressed when he heard that a colleague had been abducted by masked gunmen at the University of Mogadishu on the morning of Aug. 17. A fellow journalist was missing and Mumin – the chairman of the Somali Journalists Syndicate – had little way of getting…