A set of new requirements proposed by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights could bring healthcare organizations up to par with modern cybersecurity practices. The proposal, posted to the Federal Register on Friday, includes requirements for multifactor authentication, data encryption and routine scans for vulnerabilities and breaches. It would also make the use of anti-malware protection mandatory for systems handling sensitive information, along with network segmentation, the implementation of separate controls for data backup and recovery, and yearly audits to check for compliance.
HHS also shared a fact sheet outlining the proposal, which would update the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Security Rule. A 60-day public comment period is expected to open soon. In a press briefing, US deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology Anne Neuberger said the plan would cost $9 billion in the first year to execute, and $6 billion over the subsequent four years, Reuters reports. The proposal comes in light of a marked increase in large-scale breaches over the past few years. Just this year, the healthcare industry was hit by multiple major cyberattacks, including hacks into Ascension and UnitedHealth systems that caused disruptions at hospitals, doctors’ offices and pharmacies.
“From 2018-2023, reports of large breaches increased by 102 percent, and the number of individuals affected by such breaches increased by 1002 percent, primarily because of increases in hacking and ransomware attacks,” according to the Office for Civil Rights. “In 2023, over 167 million individuals were affected by large breaches — a new record.”
Trending Products
![SAMSUNG FT45 Sequence 24-Inch FHD 1080p Laptop Monitor, 75Hz, IPS Panel, HDMI, DisplayPort, USB Hub, Peak Adjustable Stand, 3 Yr WRNTY (LF24T454FQNXGO),Black](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/515q-Qg7PjL._SS300_.jpg)
SAMSUNG FT45 Sequence 24-Inch FHD 1080p Laptop Monitor, 75Hz, IPS Panel, HDMI, DisplayPort, USB Hub, Peak Adjustable Stand, 3 Yr WRNTY (LF24T454FQNXGO),Black
![KEDIERS ATX PC Case,6 PWM ARGB Fans Pre-Installed,360MM RAD Support,Gaming 270° Full View Tempered Glass Mid Tower Pure White ATX Computer Case,C690](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Pl+n+pj1L._SS300_.jpg)
KEDIERS ATX PC Case,6 PWM ARGB Fans Pre-Installed,360MM RAD Support,Gaming 270° Full View Tempered Glass Mid Tower Pure White ATX Computer Case,C690
![ASUS RT-AX88U PRO AX6000 Twin Band WiFi 6 Router, WPA3, Parental Management, Adaptive QoS, Port Forwarding, WAN aggregation, lifetime web safety and AiMesh assist, Twin 2.5G Port](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31ClTug0UaL._SS300_.jpg)
ASUS RT-AX88U PRO AX6000 Twin Band WiFi 6 Router, WPA3, Parental Management, Adaptive QoS, Port Forwarding, WAN aggregation, lifetime web safety and AiMesh assist, Twin 2.5G Port
![Wi-fi Keyboard and Mouse Combo, MARVO 2.4G Ergonomic Wi-fi Pc Keyboard with Telephone Pill Holder, Silent Mouse with 6 Button, Appropriate with MacBook, Home windows (Black)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41o4X+12k2L._SS300_.jpg)
Wi-fi Keyboard and Mouse Combo, MARVO 2.4G Ergonomic Wi-fi Pc Keyboard with Telephone Pill Holder, Silent Mouse with 6 Button, Appropriate with MacBook, Home windows (Black)
![Acer KB272 EBI 27″ IPS Full HD (1920 x 1080) Zero-Body Gaming Workplace Monitor | AMD FreeSync Know-how | As much as 100Hz Refresh | 1ms (VRB) | Low Blue Mild | Tilt | HDMI & VGA Ports,Black](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41YjX1Rk+CL._SS300_.jpg)
Acer KB272 EBI 27″ IPS Full HD (1920 x 1080) Zero-Body Gaming Workplace Monitor | AMD FreeSync Know-how | As much as 100Hz Refresh | 1ms (VRB) | Low Blue Mild | Tilt | HDMI & VGA Ports,Black
![Lenovo Ideapad Laptop Touchscreen 15.6″ FHD, Intel Core i3-1215U 6-Core, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Webcam, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi6, SD Card Reader, Windows 11, Grey, GM Accessories](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41IzP2Ct9gL._SS300_.jpg)
Lenovo Ideapad Laptop Touchscreen 15.6″ FHD, Intel Core i3-1215U 6-Core, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Webcam, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi6, SD Card Reader, Windows 11, Grey, GM Accessories
![Acer SH242Y Ebmihx 23.8″ FHD 1920×1080 Residence Workplace Extremely-Skinny IPS Laptop Monitor AMD FreeSync 100Hz Zero Body Peak/Swivel/Tilt Adjustable Stand Constructed-in Audio system HDMI 1.4 & VGA Port](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41jd3VdBGrL._SS300_.jpg)
Acer SH242Y Ebmihx 23.8″ FHD 1920×1080 Residence Workplace Extremely-Skinny IPS Laptop Monitor AMD FreeSync 100Hz Zero Body Peak/Swivel/Tilt Adjustable Stand Constructed-in Audio system HDMI 1.4 & VGA Port
![Acer SB242Y EBI 23.8″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS Zero-Body Gaming Workplace Monitor | AMD FreeSync Expertise Extremely-Skinny Trendy Design 100Hz 1ms (VRB) Low Blue Gentle Tilt HDMI & VGA Ports](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41PNDpNhWiL._SS300_.jpg)
Acer SB242Y EBI 23.8″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS Zero-Body Gaming Workplace Monitor | AMD FreeSync Expertise Extremely-Skinny Trendy Design 100Hz 1ms (VRB) Low Blue Gentle Tilt HDMI & VGA Ports
![SAMSUNG 32-Inch ViewFinity S7 (S70D) Collection 4K UHD Excessive Decision Monitor with HDR10, A number of Ports, Straightforward Setup Stand, Superior Eye Care, LS32D702EANXGO, 2024](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41r-2596m7L._SS300_.jpg)