Ransomware in Rhode Island

[Trevor Chandler]

Hackers are threatening as early as this week to release the personal information of potentially
hundreds of thousands of Rhode Islanders connected with RIBridge, the state’s health and
social services system that suffered a cyberattack on Dec. 5, 2024.


You would think that a government entity, that has financial resources for technology and personnel,
would be able to keep hackers at bay. Apparently not! This is just one of the latest in breaches of
a government (local, county, state, federal) entity.

We're at war, and no one's invincible!

 

[precious]

True! Cybersecurity is an arms race... No one is invincible, not even the government.

 

[Gregory Childers]

Any breach can be prevented. Some decision maker just didn't feel like spending the money to do it.

 

[Trevor Chandler]

Any breach can be prevented. Some decision maker just didn't feel like spending the money to do it.

Prevented? Gregory your optimism is impressive!!!!
I hope none of the local, state, county, or federal governments learn about your making this comment. Man, they'll be camping out at your front door in droves wanting to recruit you. The bidding war will probably be televised

 

[Jose A Ruiz Marquez]

To grasp the magnitude of the issue, visit the HIPAA Breach Portal, where a big number of incidents are reported every month. My doctoral dissertation focuses on these data breaches, and I can assure you that many organizations are barely surviving because regulations are not enforced as rigorously as they should be. For instance, one breach I analyzed exposed the data of 43 million individuals. The attack targeted a single healthcare provider, but it quickly spread to their suppliers and subsequently jumped to other healthcare entities, ultimately compromising 113 healthcare institutions in 14 states. Here is an article of the data breaches of 2023 from the HIPAA Journal. Just to give you an idea; from 2017 to 2023 the breaches reported to HIPAA has doubled, from 358 to 725. https://www.hipaajournal.com/security-breaches-in-healthcare/

 

[Trevor Chandler]

To grasp the magnitude of the issue, simply visit the HIPAA Breach Portal, where an astonishing number of incidents are reported every month. My doctoral dissertation focuses on these data breaches, and I can assure you that many organizations are barely surviving because regulations are not enforced as rigorously as they should be. For instance, one breach I analyzed exposed the data of 43 million individuals. The attack targeted a single healthcare provider, but it quickly spread to their suppliers and subsequently jumped to other healthcare entities, ultimately compromising 113 healthcare institutions in 14 states. The incident was in 2023.

And this incident that you mention is one of thousands as to why I've barred the term prevent (or any of its variants) from my cybersecurity vernacular!!!

Your dissertation will offer an awful lot of intrigue!!!

 

[precious]

Any breach can be prevented. Some decision maker just didn't feel like spending the money to do it.

Prevention is ideal, but hindsight makes it easy to blame budgets. Sometimes it's not just money but also priorities and awareness that fall short."

 

[precious]

To grasp the magnitude of the issue, visit the HIPAA Breach Portal, where a big number of incidents are reported every month. My doctoral dissertation focuses on these data breaches, and I can assure you that many organizations are barely surviving because regulations are not enforced as rigorously as they should be. For instance, one breach I analyzed exposed the data of 43 million individuals. The attack targeted a single healthcare provider, but it quickly spread to their suppliers and subsequently jumped to other healthcare entities, ultimately compromising 113 healthcare institutions in 14 states. Here is an article of the data breaches of 2023 from the HIPAA Journal. Just to give you an idea; from 2017 to 2023 the breaches reported to HIPAA has doubled, from 358 to 725. https://www.hipaajournal.com/security-breaches-in-healthcare/

Thanks for sharing

 

[Gregory Childers]

Prevention is ideal, but hindsight makes it easy to blame budgets. Sometimes it's not just money but also priorities and awareness that fall short."

It's always money. Either you spend money on defense or you get hacked.

 

[Trevor Chandler]

Prevention is ideal, but hindsight makes it easy to blame budgets. Sometimes it's not just money but also priorities and awareness that fall short."

What? You mean that mandatory Security Awareness Training isn't effective

 

[precious]

What? You mean that mandatory Security Awareness Training isn't effective

Security Awareness Training works and it's effective.... But wait, until 'Bob from Accounting ' opens an emailoffering a complimentary iPhone. There is always that one person, even though training helps!

 

[precious]

It's always money. Either you spend money on defense or you get hacked.

True, but even the Hacking Team spent millions on defense… and still got hacked. Guess they forgot to budget for not using 'P@ssword' as their password!

 

[Jose A Ruiz Marquez]

One of the main problems in healthcare data breaches is the supply chain. You might spend a ton of money, but one of your suppliers don't (vendor, doctor, lab) they get hacked and if your system is configured to trust them you get on the loop of the breach. As I said, I'm studying this for my dissertation. A big percentage of incidents are caused by the trust factor on the electronic health data transmission process. And yes, money is a factor. Moneeeeeeeeyyy, changes eeeeverythiiing now!!!!!!

 

[Trevor Chandler]

Security Awareness Training works and it's effective.... But wait, until 'Bob from Accounting ' opens an emailoffering a complimentary iPhone. There is always that one person, even though training helps!

Hold on! Just one moment! There's no need to fear, email phishing protection is here!

Just read the response that someone sent to my post on "Web Browser Security", regarding the comments that CoPilot provided. All of our problems may not be solved, but as far as phishing is concerned, we can rest easy. I'm just paraphrasing CoPilot!!!

 

[precious]

Hold on! Just one moment! There's no need to fear, email phishing protection is here!

Just read the response that someone sent to my post on "Web Browser Security", regarding the comments that CoPilot provided. All of our problems may not be solved, but as far as phishing is concerned, we can rest easy. I'm just paraphrasing CoPilot!!!

Oh, it's the powerful CoPilot again! Solving phishing one clever comment at a time—world peace next, I guess?

 

[precious]

One of the main problems in healthcare data breaches is the supply chain. You might spend a ton of money, but one of your suppliers don't (vendor, doctor, lab) they get hacked and if your system is configured to trust them you get on the loop of the breach. As I said, I'm studying this for my dissertation. A big percentage of incidents are caused by the trust factor on the electronic health data transmission process. And yes, money is a factor. Moneeeeeeeeyyy, changes eeeeverythiiing now!!!!!!

The well-worn adage "trust no one, especially your suppliers" Money does indeed make the world go round, but it does so right into a data breach!

 

[Trevor Chandler]

Oh, it's the powerful CoPilot again! Solving phishing one clever comment at a time—world peace next, I guess?

I wouldn't bet more than the penny I found on the ground yesterday

 

[Trevor Chandler]

The well-worn adage "trust no one, especially your suppliers" Money does indeed make the world go round, but it does so right into a data breach!

Okay, we've got one more who believes that money makes the world go round. Any others? Don't be bashful or shy. Step right up! You're in a no-judgement zone!!!

 

[precious]

I wouldn't bet more than the penny I found on the ground yesterday

True, but if money falls into the proper hands, even a penny can have an impact. Let's begin modestly and see where it takes us.

 

[precious]

Okay, we've got one more who believes that money makes the world go round. Any others? Don't be bashful or shy. Step right up! You're in a no-judgement zone!!!

If money is the motor suppliers are undoubtedly powering the breach-mobile. Everyone, fasten your seatbelt!