Change Healthcare, a prominent company in the health sector, has become embroiled in a complex ransomware situation that has escalated due to internal disputes among ransomware groups. Initially, the ransomware group AlphV compromised Change Healthcare's network, and after receiving a $22 million ransom, another group named RansomHub has emerged, claiming possession of 4 terabytes of the company’s sensitive data and demanding an additional ransom. Despite an initial refusal to prove the data's existence, RansomHub has since shared samples with WIRED, indicating the severity of the threat. The situation exemplifies the unpredictable and hazardous nature of engaging with ransomware criminals, illustrating that even payment does not guarantee safety from further extortion. The incident has led to significant operational disruptions for Change Healthcare and its affiliates, highlighting the broader impacts ransomware can have on healthcare services and patient care.

Sisense's data breach is serious enough that CISA is investigating. Here's what you need to do

Apr 15, 2024ZDNet

Following a significant security breach at Sisense, a company providing data analytics and visualization tools, companies worldwide are urged to heighten their cybersecurity measures. The breach reportedly resulted in the theft of terabytes of customer data, including access tokens, email passwords, and SSL certificates. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is actively working with the industry to mitigate the breach's impact, particularly on critical infrastructure sectors. Sisense, which serves over a thousand global clients across various industries, confirmed the incident and has initiated an investigation while advising customers on steps to secure their data, such as resetting keys, tokens, and passwords. This breach emphasizes the continuing challenge of protecting sensitive information against sophisticated cyberattacks.

The database you don't want to need: Check to see if your health data was hacked

Apr 15, 2024USA Today

In a comprehensive analysis by USA TODAY, it was found that over 144 million Americans had their medical data stolen or exposed in the past year due to a record number of health care data breaches, with the largest incident involving a ransomware attack on Change Healthcare, a major health care payment system. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the vulnerability of the health care sector to cyberattacks by increasing reliance on remote and third-party technologies. Data breaches through third-party vendors have seen a significant rise, creating a more interconnected but vulnerable health care ecosystem. These breaches not only compromise patient privacy but also disrupt patient care and pose safety risks. The report highlights the cyber threats posed to the health care industry, which is a prime target for hackers due to the sensitive and financially valuable personal information it holds. The increasing trend of ransomware attacks and the sector's challenging position in resourcing cybersecurity measures are also discussed, alongside steps individuals can take if their medical information has been compromised.

The Lawsuits That Could Shape the Future of AI and Copyright Law

Apr 15, 2024The Wall Street Journal

The article discusses the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) development and copyright law, highlighting three major lawsuits that illustrate the evolving legal landscape around this technology. A lawyer provides insights into how copyright law is adapting to the rapid advancements in AI, using illustrative photo examples to clarify these complex issues. Additionally, the piece touches on the broader context of how such legal challenges reflect on the fast-paced nature of news and the importance of understanding the intricacies behind major stories, market movements, business trends, and scientific progress.

Generative AI Is Changing the Hiring Calculus at These Companies

Apr 15, 2024The Wall Street Journal

Generative AI is increasingly influencing hiring strategies in companies, aiming to achieve higher productivity with fewer employees. CIOs are exploring AI's potential to streamline operations and reduce workforce needs without directly implying imminent layoffs. For instance, KeyBank successfully implemented a conversational AI tool, reducing call center volume and consequently the need to hire more staff. Meanwhile, Oshkosh Corp. witnessed productivity gains without proportionately increasing its workforce, even as the company grew significantly. Despite these advancements, the overall U.S. job market remains robust, and it's premature to conclude a nationwide trend of reduced hiring due to AI. However, companies like Nationwide are investing in AI to manage growth without enlarging their clerical workforce, focusing on enabling employees to concentrate on more complex tasks.

Proposed bill would block large ransomware payments by financial institutions

Apr 15, 2024ABA Banking Journal

The proposed Ransomware and Financial Stability Act aims to introduce measures for financial institutions in response to ransomware attacks, mandating them to notify the Treasury Department before making any ransomware payment and to obtain law enforcement approval for payments exceeding $100,000. Sponsored by House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry and Rep. Brittany Pettersen, the bill targets financial market utilities, large securities exchanges, and critical technology service providers to banks, aiming to strengthen the financial sector's resilience against cyber threats. Additionally, it protects sensitive information reported to law enforcement from public disclosure, with certain exceptions, reinforcing the security and privacy of the reporting process.

Generative AI is coming for healthcare, and not everyone's thrilled

Apr 15, 2024TechCrunch

Generative AI is increasingly penetrating healthcare, propelled by both leading technology companies and emerging startups. Collaborative efforts, such as Google Cloud with Highmark Health and Microsoft Azure with Providence, aim to leverage generative AI for personalized patient experiences and efficient message triaging. Despite significant investments in generative AI healthcare startups promising analytics and assistance tools, skepticism persists regarding its readiness and efficacy. Critics, including health professionals and patients, express concern over its limitations in handling complex medical queries and potential for misdiagnosis. Moreover, instances of generative AI perpetuating stereotypes and inaccuracies in medical advice underscore the challenges of integrating AI without exacerbating existing healthcare disparities. Despite some successes in medical imaging and administrative tasks, the call for rigorous validation, privacy considerations, and regulatory compliance underscores a cautious approach toward mainstreaming generative AI in healthcare.

Amazon adds AI heavyweight Andrew Ng to board of directors as Jassy says it may be biggest tech breakthrough ‘perhaps since the internet’

Apr 15, 2024Fortune

Amazon has announced the appointment of AI pioneer Andrew Ng to its board of directors, highlighting the company's intensified focus on artificial intelligence amidst a competitive tech landscape. Ng, a prominent figure in AI and managing director at AI Fund, will take the seat vacated by former MTV CEO Judy McGrath. This move underlines Amazon's commitment to leading in generative AI technologies, which CEO Andy Jassy identifies as a potential major pillar for the company, comparing its impact to that of the internet and cloud computing.

Palo Alto Networks to fix exploited GlobalProtect zero-day

Apr 15, 2024The Register

Palo Alto Networks issued a critical alert on Friday for a command-injection vulnerability in its PAN-OS software, affecting firewall and VPN products, with a CVSS severity score of 10/10, allowing unauthenticated attackers to execute remote code with root privileges. Updates are expected by Sunday, April 14. The vulnerability, designated CVE-2024-3400, affects certain configurations and is currently being exploited, as detected by Volexity, which observed the attacks aiming to take control of the equipment and penetrate victims' networks. Palo Alto Networks is actively working on a fix and has recommended temporary mitigations, emphasizing the importance of customer security and urging users to apply these measures promptly.

Epic v. Particle

Apr 15, 2024healthapiguy.substack.com

In the article, Brendan Keeler delves into the complex and contentious situation surrounding Epic Systems and Particle Health's dispute in healthcare data interoperability, explicating the tension between these entities within the broader context of health information exchanges (HIEs) such as Care Everywhere, Carequality, and Commonwell. Detailing his background with Epic's Care Everywhere and his endeavors in healthcare interoperability, Keeler aims to provide an impartial overview, navigating the intricacies of the issue, including the vital roles of data exchange networks, the principles of data reciprocity and purpose of use, and the emerging concerns over data access and sharing practices. Through an exploration of recent developments, key concepts, and the potential implications for the healthcare industry, Keeler underscores the dispute's significance in highlighting the urgent need for clear, sustainable paths for data exchange to serve various stakeholders while prioritizing patient privacy and care.

Hospital websites share visitors' data with Google, Meta

Apr 15, 2024The Register

Research from the University of Pennsylvania reveals that 96% of surveyed hospitals' websites transmit user data to third parties, including Google, Meta, and various data brokers, without consistently transparent privacy policies. This study highlights the widespread use of tracking technologies across hospital websites, often sharing sensitive visitor information with a vast array of companies. Despite the potential for legal repercussions and privacy concerns, the main driver behind this practice appears to be the ubiquity of tracking in the broader web ecosystem, spurred by a substantial online advertising economy. The researchers suggest that hospitals could leverage their resources, including collaboration with academic departments, to innovate and create a less intrusive web experience. Meanwhile, individuals are encouraged to use browser-based tools like Ghostery and Privacy Badger to protect their data from third-party tracking.

US Academic Medical Centres 'Struggling' says McKinsey

Apr 15, 2024healthcare-digital.com

A McKinsey report highlights the financial struggles faced by US academic medical centres (AMCs), citing cost inflation and operational complexities as major challenges. Despite substantial growth over the past five years, AMCs experience decreasing operating margins due to rising expenses, workforce shortages, and an increasingly competitive healthcare landscape with more patient care options and alternative care-delivery sites. The report suggests that AMCs need to generate significant additional margins to return to pre-pandemic performance levels and emphasizes the importance of operational efficiency and financial sustainability. It also discusses AMCs' critical roles in clinical innovation, education, and high-quality care. McKinsey's survey of AMC leaders revealed a consensus on the need for more substantial performance improvement initiatives, particularly in clinician change-management, and identified potential areas for operational optimization. The report warns that financial pressures could force cuts in education and research funding, even as some AMCs successfully improve performance through cost-saving measures and efficiency improvements, underscoring the necessity for a holistic and ambitious transformation approach to overcome these challenges.

LastPass thwarts attempt to deceive employee with deepfake audio

Apr 15, 2024SC Magazine

A LastPass employee recently avoided a scam attempt involving a deepfake audio call impersonating the company's CEO, highlighting the rising threat of deepfake technology in cybersecurity. This incident, shared by LastPass to raise awareness, underscores the increasing use of deepfakes for executive impersonation and fraud campaigns, beyond the sophisticated operations of nation-state actors. The industry is urged to adapt by training staff to recognize and respond to these evolving social engineering attacks, which now extend beyond phishing emails to include voice, SMS, and video. Experts advocate for critical thinking and verification before action, emphasizing employee training as a crucial defense against these sophisticated threats.

Health records giant Epic cracks down on startup for unauthorized sharing of patient data

Apr 15, 2024CNBC

Epic Systems has terminated data access for startup Particle Health, citing misuse of patient data for unauthorized purposes beyond treatment, raising concerns over potential HIPAA violations. As the largest Electronic Health Record (EHR) provider in the U.S., Epic's move impacts Particle's access to a vast network of over 300 million patient records. Particle, accused of sharing sensitive data with third parties not involved in patient care, was disconnected from Epic’s interoperability network, Carequality, which facilitates extensive health document exchanges. Both companies have expressed their positions, with Particle addressing the issue and emphasizing the complexity in defining 'treatment' purposes in today’s evolving healthcare landscape. Epic's decision underlines the critical importance of data privacy and the adherence to stringent purposes outlined in patient data exchange agreements.

Why CISA is Warning CISOs About a Breach at Sisense

Apr 12, 2024Krebs on Security

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is currently investigating a security breach at Sisense, a business intelligence firm known for its dashboard product that consolidates data from various online services. In response to the breach, both CISA and Sisense have advised customers to reset all shared credentials and secrets as a precautionary measure. The breach, which was disclosed by Sisense CISO Sangram Dash, reportedly began with unauthorized access to the company's Gitlab code repository, leading to the exfiltration of several terabytes of sensitive customer data, including access tokens, email passwords, and SSL certificates, from Sisense's Amazon S3 cloud storage. The incident has highlighted the need for rigorous data protection measures, especially when handling customer information. Sisense is coordinating with its customers on mitigation steps, which include a comprehensive reset of potentially compromised digital keys and tokens across various technologies.

Turning golf shots into insights: How IBM is driving an AI-powered Masters digital experience

Apr 11, 2024SiliconANGLE

IBM is leveraging its AI and data platform, watsonx, to enhance the digital experience for fans of the Masters Golf Tournament, providing unprecedented personalized insights into every shot made during the event. Through a partnership with Augusta National Golf Club, IBM's AI capabilities are utilized to analyze a wealth of historical and real-time data, offering fans depth of analysis like never before, including the potential for hole-specific probabilities and outcomes. Additionally, IBM introduces Spanish language AI narration for the tournament, emphasizing not just translation but the generation of new, culturally nuanced content. This year marks a significant step forward in using AI to enrich the fan experience, blending traditional sports with cutting-edge technology to offer a new level of engagement and insight.

CEO of Google DeepMind Says AI Industry Full of Hype and Grifters

Apr 11, 2024Futurism

In a striking critique shared with The Financial Times, Demis Hassibis, CEO of Google DeepMind, compares the current "gold rush" in AI investment to the prior hype seen in the cryptocurrency arena, warning of an influx of hype and potential misconduct. Hassibis acknowledges the significant innovations and potential within the AI field but cautions that the excessive hype could overshadow meaningful research and development. He highlights concerns over the rapid and sometimes reckless funding of AI startups, which may not only divert attention from genuine advancements but also risks leading to a bubble similar to what was observed in the cryptocurrency market. Despite these challenges, Hassibis remains optimistic about AI's capability to drive forward scientific and technological breakthroughs, emphasizing the importance of discerning funding and focus to ensure that AI's true potential can be realized without succumbing to the pitfalls of overhype and speculation.

AtlantiCare's transformative 6-year plan includes a med school, AI and high-profile partnerships

Apr 11, 2024NJBIZ

AtlantiCare has announced an ambitious six-year plan, Vision 2030, aimed at transforming healthcare delivery and community wellbeing in Atlantic City. This multi-faceted strategy includes the creation of a medical school in partnership with Drexel University College of Medicine, integration of advanced technologies like AI through a collaboration with Oracle Health, and significant physical expansions expected to generate thousands of jobs and extend regional life expectancy. The plan also focuses on addressing community needs by reducing food insecurity and homelessness, alongside establishing high-profile partnerships with Cleveland Clinic Cancer Institute and Global Neurosciences Institute for enhanced care delivery. Vision 2030 seeks to not only expand AtlantiCare's service offerings and market share but also elevate Atlantic City as a leading destination for healthcare innovation and education, underscoring a commitment to excellence and community service.

Apple alerts users in 92 nations to mercenary spyware attacks

Apr 11, 2024TechCrunch

Apple has issued warning notifications to iPhone users across 92 countries, alerting them to potential targeting by mercenary spyware attacks. The company confirmed sending these alerts without specifying the attackers or the exact locations of the notified users. These high-confidence alerts are based on Apple's internal threat intelligence and investigations, underscoring the serious and targeted nature of these attacks, often involving sophisticated spyware like NSO Group's Pegasus. The notifications are part of Apple's ongoing effort to inform users of state-sponsored or mercenary spyware attacks, with a history of similar alerts sent globally since 2021. Apple aims to maintain user privacy and security amidst increasing concerns over state-sponsored surveillance and electoral interference, although it refrains from detailing the reasons behind the notifications to avoid aiding the attackers in evading future detection.

Rite Aid outlines 53 more store closures across 9 states in recent court filings

Apr 11, 2024The Hill

Rite Aid has announced it will close 53 additional store locations across nine states, adding to the approximately 200 stores it has already shuttered since filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year. The Philadelphia-based pharmacy chain has been grappling with annual losses for several years and legal challenges related to opioid prescriptions, including a notable settlement with West Virginia for up to $30 million. The recent court filings did not specify a timeline for these closures, and while objections to the store closures could be filed, none had been recorded in the case docket as of the article's publication. This move is part of Rite Aid's broader effort to stabilize its financial situation amidst ongoing operational struggles.

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Change Healthcare Faces Another Ransomware Threat—and It Looks Credible