Following the recent cyberattack that compromised the data of 100 million Americans, the Biden administration reportedly intends to require hospitals to meet minimum cybersecurity standards.
Vice President for National Security for Cyber and Emerging Technologies Ann Neuberger Bloomberg said Thursday (May 9) at the Bloomberg Tech Summit that the administration plans to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking in the coming weeks, Bloomberg reported. report Thursday.
The rulemaking would establish minimum cybersecurity requirements not only for hospitals but also for other entities receiving funding from Medicare and Medicaid, the report said, citing anonymous sources. Stated.
The White House aims to address vulnerabilities in the healthcare sector and protect sensitive patient information from cyber threats, the report said.
The announcement came in the wake of a targeted cyberattack. change health careunit of united health group, disrupting billions of dollars in payments and putting the health data of millions of Americans at risk, the report said. This incident highlighted the potential impact of single points of failure within healthcare systems and highlighted the urgent need for improved cybersecurity measures.
The Biden administration is determined to strengthen cybersecurity in the healthcare industry, but there is likely to be some resistance.of American Hospital Association The AHA previously opposed mandating cybersecurity standards, saying fines and pay cuts would strain hospital resources, according to the report. AHA emphasizes the importance of a sector-wide approach to cyber resilience.
In addition to implementing cybersecurity standards, the Biden administration plans to provide free training to 1,400 small rural hospitals across the country, according to the report. This training aims to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills to effectively prevent and respond to cyber threats.
United Health Group CEO Andrew Whitty Said May 1 The company says it is still investigating the issue behind the security failure. cyber attack It affected the company.
Testifying before the Senate Finance Committee, Whitty said it is still unclear why the company's computer systems were exposed to the ransomware gang.
UnitedHealth Group's defenses were breached when an intruder gained access to a server that was not protected by multi-factor authentication.
“We're still trying to find out exactly why that server wasn't secured,” Whitty said at the time.
