Recent analysis of a new variant of what appeared to be ransomware turns out instead to be malicious software that erases files on computers, making it a HIPAA Security threat. While ransomware usually stops at encrypting and locking files until you pay the ransom and the encryption key is provided, that is not the case here.
The newest “NotPetya” is a cyber weapon that will erase files and some experts believe it was made to look like ransomware to trick people into believing you can pay a ransom and access the files. In reality though, NotPetya does not delete any data but simply makes it unusable by locking the files and then throwing away the key.
What are your defenses?
1) Keep data backup systems operational and ongoing (incremental real time) so you can recover these files.
2) Keep software and hardware patched and up to date!
3) Continue to train, train and train! The purpose of frequent HIPAA Security reminders is to raise awareness among users and make them less vulnerable to opening a suspicious email or attachment.
PrivaPlan can help with our online security reminder videos, our managed phishing testing, and of course, conducting a HIPAA Security Risk Analysis. To learn more, contact our HIPAA experts today at info@privaplan.com or call 877-218-7707.
