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Jul 17, 2024·Forbes

Apple has launched a new ad campaign urging iPhone users to stop using Google Chrome, emphasizing privacy concerns. This move comes as Google aims to increase Chrome's presence on iPhones, potentially impacting their financial arrangement where Google Search is the default on Apple's Safari browser. Amidst looming monopoly investigations, Apple's ad leverages privacy fears by highlighting Chrome's ongoing use of tracking cookies and undisclosed data collection. This strategic push underlines a broader battle for user retention and browser market share between Safari and Chrome, particularly as AI-driven search capabilities evolve.

Jul 17, 2024·Fierce Healthcare

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) has introduced the HTI-2 proposed rule, aiming to enhance data sharing and interoperability within the healthcare sector by setting new standards for health IT. This 1,067-page rule builds on HTI-1 and includes voluntary certification for payers and public health IT systems. Key updates involve standard-based APIs, promoting certification standards that could improve the flow of healthcare data and the patient experience. While stakeholders like America's Health Insurance Plans see potential benefits, some EHR vendors are concerned about the compliance timelines. The rule also addresses public health data sharing gaps exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the creation of unified data-sharing standards across various health entities.

Jul 16, 2024·SecurityWeek

A massive data breach at AT&T exposed call and text interaction records for nearly all its wireless customers between May 2022 and January 2023. The breach is linked to recent attacks on Snowflake customers, where data was illegally downloaded from AT&T's workspace on a third-party cloud platform. The stolen data includes telephone numbers, call durations, and cell site identification but lacks personal identifiers like Social Security numbers. AT&T asserts the breach has not materially impacted its operations and believes the data has not been publicly released. At least one suspect has been apprehended in connection to the breach.

Jul 16, 2024·NextBigFuture

OpenAI is reportedly working on a new project named “Strawberry,” designed to enhance the reasoning capabilities of its AI models. Based on the mysterious QStar advance, Strawberry aims to enable AI to perform long-horizon tasks (LHT), requiring it to plan and execute actions over extended periods. This initiative could significantly advance AI's ability to autonomously navigate the internet and conduct deep research. Although the specifics of Strawberry remain confidential within OpenAI, its goal is to elevate the intelligence of AI models closer to or beyond human-level capabilities by employing post-training techniques similar to the "Self-Taught Reasoner" method from Stanford.

Jul 16, 2024·Wall Street Journal

Google is nearing a $23 billion acquisition deal for Wiz, a cybersecurity startup. This move signifies Google's intention to expand its cybersecurity capabilities and highlights the growing emphasis on protecting digital assets amid increasing threats. The acquisition aligns with the tech giant's strategic focus on enhancing security measures for its cloud services and enterprise clients.

Jul 16, 2024·Cybersecurity Dive

AT&T reported a cyberattack on its Snowflake environment that compromised data of nearly all of its wireless customers, affecting approximately 110 million individuals. The breach included records of customers' calls and text messages over a six-month period ending October 31, 2022, and January 2, 2023, but did not expose the content of the communications or personal identifiers. However, it did include phone numbers, interaction counts, and call durations. The incident was part of a broader wave of attacks on Snowflake customers, exploiting stolen credentials from infostealer malware. AT&T detected the breach on April 19 and acted swiftly, involving cybersecurity experts and cooperating with law enforcement. The company has enhanced its cybersecurity measures and will notify affected customers, while the FBI and DOJ granted delays in disclosure due to national security concerns.

Jul 16, 2024·scmagazine

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a report highlighting significant shortcomings in cybersecurity practices within a U.S. civilian executive branch agency. The report follows a 2023 red-teaming exercise where CISA employed tactics resembling those of nation-state threat actors and successfully compromised the agency's network, gaining access through a known Solaris vulnerability and phished Windows credentials. The red team remained undetected for a significant period, even managing to eavesdrop on the blue team's communications. Key recommendations from CISA include streamlining incident response, avoiding dependence on known indicators of compromise, and enhancing log monitoring and analysis for better attack comprehension and defense.

Jul 16, 2024·The CPA Journal

**Healthcare Breaches and New Guidance** The healthcare industry continues to face significant challenges in managing cyber risks, as evidenced by recent data breaches such as the unprecedented cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group. Despite existing regulatory frameworks like HIPAA and ample guidance from entities like HHS-OCR and NIST, healthcare organizations struggle to mitigate cyber threats due to factors such as misdelivery of information, misuse of privileges, and rapidly evolving technology landscapes. Recent guidance, including NIST's updated Resource Guide and HHS's cybersecurity strategy, aims to improve the sector's cybersecurity posture, but concerns remain about the adequacy and implementation of these measures in effectively managing cybersecurity risks.

Jul 16, 2024·The Health Care Blog

The digital health sector experienced a massive surge in venture funding during the pandemic, fueled by the belief that telehealth would dominate future healthcare delivery. However, despite significant investments, the valuation and profitability of digital health companies have plummeted since 2021, with very few companies achieving profitability. Recent large investment rounds in new health tech ventures, such as K-Health and Headway, raise questions about their potential for profitability and differentiation from existing companies. The sector faces uncertainty as investors continue to pour money into it despite poor market performance and limited profitable exits.

Jul 16, 2024·Nature

EvolutionaryScale has introduced ESM3, a large protein language model, to design new fluorescent molecules, with applications potentially extending into drug development and sustainability. The company, founded by former Meta scientists, secured $142 million in funding to advance its work. ESM3 was trained on over 2.7 billion protein sequences and has demonstrated its capability by redesigning green fluorescent protein (GFP) variants. Although the model’s open-source version omits sensitive sequences, its extensive computational requirements place full replication beyond the reach of most academic labs. EvolutionaryScale aims to apply ESM3 to diverse scientific challenges, including plastic-eating enzymes and new protein-based drugs.

Jul 15, 2024·wired

AT&T has disclosed a significant data breach impacting the call and text records of nearly all its customers, affecting around 110 million people. The breach, which occurred between April 14 and 25, 2024, involved attackers exploiting Snowflake cloud accounts to steal massive amounts of metadata, including who contacted whom, call durations, and cell site identification numbers. Although the breach didn't include the content of calls or texts, the stolen data still poses significant privacy risks and could facilitate phishing attacks. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has issued an alert, and while law enforcement has made some progress, including apprehending at least one person, the stolen data is already being advertised on cybercrime marketplaces.

Jul 15, 2024·publication

The Trust Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) July 2024 update highlighted ten key changes aimed at enhancing health data interoperability in the U.S. The updates focus on expanding participation criteria, improving data security measures, and streamlining data exchange processes. The enhancements are designed to facilitate more efficient and secure sharing of health information among providers, payers, and patients, ultimately aiming to improve healthcare outcomes and operational efficiency across the health system. The changes also emphasize compliance requirements and introduce new technological standards to support these goals.

Jul 15, 2024·The Medical Futurist

The article by Dr. Bertalan Mesko outlines five key reasons why artificial intelligence (AI) will not replace physicians despite its growing presence in healthcare. It emphasizes that the doctor-patient relationship relies on empathy and trust, which AI cannot replicate. While AI will automate many routine tasks and support professionals in areas such as diagnostics and resource optimization, complex problem-solving in medicine requires human creativity and expertise. Additionally, sophisticated digital technologies necessitate the competence of qualified medical professionals. The article concludes that collaboration between AI and humans, not replacement, is the most effective path forward for enhancing healthcare.

Jul 15, 2024·The Register

A red team exercise by the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at an unnamed federal agency exposed significant security weaknesses that went unnoticed for five months. The exercise, simulating a nation-state cyber threat, began with the exploitation of an unpatched vulnerability (CVE-2022-21587) in the agency's Oracle Solaris enclave, leading to a comprehensive system breach. Despite early notification, the agency delayed patching the flaw for over two weeks, during which the exploit became publicly available. Further compromises were achieved through phishing and weak password attacks, with the red team gaining extensive access to privileged systems. The assessment highlighted inadequate detection capabilities, ineffective log management, and over-reliance on known indicators of compromise (IoCs). The exercise underscored the need for defense-in-depth strategies and stricter adherence to security patching deadlines.

Jul 15, 2024·Becker's Hospital Review

Steward Health Care, a financially challenged Dallas-based health system, is under criminal investigation by federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's office in Boston. The investigation involves allegations of fraud and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations, linked to a failed deal with Malta to operate three state-owned hospitals. While no charges have been filed regarding the Malta situation, Steward confirmed it is cooperating with the U.S. Department of Justice. The beleaguered health system, which filed for bankruptcy on May 6, is auctioning off its 31 hospitals and physician group, though the auction process has faced delays. UnitedHealth Group's Optum recently withdrew from a planned acquisition of Stewardship Health, further impacting Steward's future.

Jul 15, 2024·health.wusf.usf.edu

The Florida Department of Health is facing system outages affecting the distribution of birth and death certificates following an alleged ransomware attack, in which hackers claimed to have stolen 100GB of personal data. Although the department has not confirmed the cyberattack, it has acknowledged temporary disruptions in its Vital Statistics system. This has delayed funerals and caused financial issues for individuals awaiting death certificates for legal and financial processes. Health officials are collaborating with law enforcement, funeral homes, and healthcare facilities to continue operations manually during the outage. The attack highlights the increasing vulnerability of healthcare systems to cyber threats, with significant risks posed by the exposure of sensitive patient data. Residents are advised to monitor their financial and credit records for unusual activity as a precaution.

Jul 15, 2024·Becker's Hospital Review

Hackensack Meridian Health promptly filed a lawsuit against HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on the same day the Supreme Court overturned Chevron deference. The New Jersey-based health system challenges the formula for disproportionate share hospital payments, criticizing CMS' interpretations that have affected their Medicare reimbursements. Audrey Murphy, VP and chief legal officer, emphasized that the Supreme Court's decision allows for stricter adherence to congressional payment policies, which is crucial for the financial stability of nonprofit health systems like Hackensack. The lawsuit aims to ensure accurate future Medicare payments and clarity on supplemental security income reimbursements, signaling Hackensack's proactive stance in protecting its financial interests.

Jul 15, 2024·Fierce Healthcare

Healthcare industry groups, including hospitals, insurers, and information management executives, have voiced strong objections to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) proposed rule for cybersecurity incident reporting. The rule, designed to enhance and expedite reporting for entities deemed critical infrastructure under the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 (CIRCIA), is criticized for its redundancy with existing federal regulations and the significant burden it places on organizations already managing cyberattacks. Industry representatives argue that the 72-hour reporting requirement is excessive and diverts essential resources during crises. They also express concerns over the substantial data retention mandates and the potential risks associated with sharing sensitive cybersecurity strategies. Calls for simplified, harmonized regulations are widespread, with suggestions to expand or clarify the rule’s scope to include more third-party vendors directly involved in the healthcare ecosystem.

Jul 12, 2024·MultiCare

MultiCare is implementing a new billing policy for responses to MyChart messages that require over five minutes of clinical time and medical expertise, starting July 1, 2024. This change addresses the increased volume of messages substituting for in-person or virtual visits, which demand significant provider time. While most messages will remain free, patients may incur costs ranging from $0 to $35, depending on their insurance. Further details, including the types of billable messages and cost breakdowns by insurance type, are available for readers.

Jul 12, 2024·TIME

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and Arianna Huffington, CEO of Thrive Global, discuss how AI-driven behavior changes can address the unsustainable burden of chronic diseases on the U.S. healthcare system. Leveraging hyper-personalization, AI can improve foundational health behaviors—sleep, diet, exercise, stress management, and social connections—thereby preventing diseases and optimizing treatments. They introduce Thrive AI Health, a collaborative initiative designed to create a personalized AI health coach. This AI tool integrates scientific knowledge with individual health data to provide real-time, tailored health recommendations, promising to democratize health benefits and tackle inequities. The authors emphasize the importance of regulatory support, integration into healthcare practices, and individual empowerment to realize this vision.