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Global ransomware attack and how to stay protected

October 3, 2019

Recently in 150 countries around the world, WannaCry ransomware infected more than 200,000 computers in hospitals and healthcare information systems. The initial virus has been slowed thanks to a “kill switch” developed by a British researcher; however, it’s suspected that another wave of copycat malware could hit the healthcare community.

The US-CERT issued a statement saying: “Ransomware spreads easily when it encounters unpatched or outdated software. The WannaCry ransomware may be exploiting a vulnerability in Server Message Block 1.0 (SMBv1). For information on how to mitigate this vulnerability, review the US-CERT article on Microsoft SMBv1 Vulnerability and the Microsoft Security Bulletin MS17-010. Users and administrators are encouraged to review the US-CERT Alert TA16-091A to learn how to best protect against ransomware. Please report any ransomware incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).”

This significant cyber security issue, which has been called “unprecedented in scale” by Europol Director Rob Wainwright, caused a massive disruption where patients were diverted from emergency rooms and scheduled surgeries were canceled.

At this time, Coronis believe its clients should not be affected, BUT you can take steps to protect your data and IT systems.

  • Do not send PHI/sensitive info in external emails
  • Be careful about opening email attachments
  • Make sure your system and programs are updated to the latest versions

For more information on how to protect your organization, visit these sites.
https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hippa-cyber-awareness-monthly-issue1.pdf
https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hipaa-cyber-awareness-monthly-issue3.pdf
https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/february-2017-ocr-cyber-awareness-newsletter.pdf
https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/RansomwareFactSheet.pdf

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