Cybersecurity

John Riggi, senior advisor for cybersecurity and risk at the American Hospital Association, a nationally recognized cybersecurity expert and former FBI cyber senior executive has been on the forefront in directly assisting health care providers as they prepare for, respond to and recover from ransomware attacks. Mr. Riggi will discuss his uniquely informed national perspective on the rash of recent ransomware attacks, identify the groups behind these attacks, how hospitals and health systems have become victimized, and what can be done to prevent these attacks.

Mr. Riggi will also discuss the impact these ransomware attacks have had on large systems and small hospitals — from lost data and revenue to civil and regulatory exposure, loss of community confidence and, most significantly, impact to patient care delivery and risk to patient safety.  

Mr. Riggi will also discuss AHA’s national call to action to the federal government to utilize all elements of national power to “defend forward” and disrupt these ransomware attackers who are being provided safe harbor in adversarial nations. The government has heard the call and responded.

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Presented by:

John Riggi
Senior Advisor for Cybersecurity and Risk
American Hospital Association

Ransomware is a serious and increasing threat to all government and private sector organizations, including critical infrastructure  organizations. 

All organizations are at risk of falling victim to a ransomware incident and are responsible for protecting sensitive and personal data stored on their systems.

This fact sheet provides information for all government and private sector organizations, including critical infrastructure organizations, on preventing and responding to ransomware-caused data breaches. CISA encourages organizations to adopt a heightened state of awareness and implement the recommendations on this linked resource:

• Protecting Sensitive and Personal Information  from Ransomware-Caused Data Breaches

Healthcare and Public Health Sector Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Partnership has released a Template For Healthcare Cybersecurity Incident Action Plan to assist hospital CEO’s in creating a documented plan for recovery from a cybersecurity incident.

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities and intrusions pose risks for every hospital and its reputation.  While there are significant benefits for care delivery and organizational efficiency from the expanded use of networked technology, Internet-enabled medical devices and electronic databases for clinical, financial and administrative operations, networked technology and greater connectivity also increase exposure to possible cybersecurity threats that require hospitals to evaluate and manage  new risks. Hospitals can prepare and manage such risks by viewing cybersecurity not as a novel issue but rather by making it part of the hospital’s existing governance, risk management and business continuity framework.  Hospitals also will want to ensure that the approach they adopted remains flexible and resilient to address threats that are likely to be constantly evolving and multi-pronged.

California is at the center of the digital revolution that is changing the world. Because of work done by companies right here in our home state, we are more connected – and empowered – than ever before. But we are also increasingly vulnerable. Unfortunately, cyber-crime, data breaches, theft of proprietary information, hacking and malware incidents are now routine.

Every business in California should follow the steps summarized in the attached guide “Cybersecurity in the Golden State” in order to reduce the chance they will be a victim of cybercrime. These measures, however, cannot guarantee that businesses will avoid cyber-security incidents, and the Guide therefore contains recommendations for how to prepare an effective cybersecurity incident response plan.

• Download the “Cybersecurity in the Golden State” Guide