MEDITECH's Commitment to Security Helps Defend Against WannaCry

Ransomware attack impacts data security for over 150 countries

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Update:

The Independent [UK] reported on June 27 that a new ransomeware virus, called "Petya" and apparently functioning like the earlier "Wannacry" attack, has been discovered after it struck "major infrastructure" in European countries. 
 
Read MEDITECH Security Analyst Justin Armstrong's blog post: 5 ways to keep your EHR data as safe as your patients 
 

Original article, May 31:

In what is being categorized as the largest global ransomware attack in history, the malicious software targeting data security called WannaCry has impacted over 150 countries, including the US. 

According to MicrosoftⓇ, the cyberattack, which blocked users from their data unless a Bitcoin ransom was paid, stemmed from stolen exploits from the National Security Agency (NSA) back in March. Although Microsoft released a security update, all customers who did not apply the latest update to their computers were severely impacted.

As news of WannaCry spread, MEDITECH reached out to customers with a credible list of resources and suggestions from industry experts on how they could protect themselves from the threat. A team of MEDITECH staff, including Security Analyst Justin Armstrong, CISSP,  provided technical support to customers through the weekend and into the following week.

“Cybersecurity in healthcare can seem daunting at times, but doing the preventative work up front could make a world of difference,” Armstrong wrote in a cybersecurity blog post in March. “Understand your organization and incorporate a layered defense by looking at your people, processes, and technology.”

If you’re interested in learning more about cybersecurity, Armstrong will host a MEDITECH webinar, titled 10 Tips to Improve Your Cybersecurity, on June 22.