On Saturday, Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook, encountered significant outages, affecting thousands of users who reported difficulties accessing their accounts. In response to the widespread frustration, Microsoft utilized the social media platform X to communicate that it was investigating the issue. The company identified a potential cause and reverted the suspected code, leading to a gradual recovery of services by the afternoon. Downdetector reported a peak in outage complaints around 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time; however, reports of restored access began to emerge as the company implemented its fixes. This outage followed a similar disruption experienced by Slack earlier in the week, underscoring the challenges faced by tech companies in ensuring service reliability.

Microsoft 365 Outage Disrupts Thousands, Recovery Efforts Underway AP News

​Dr. Zafar Chaudry, Chief Digital Officer and Chief AI and Information Officer at Seattle Children's, emphasizes the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing patient outcomes. To harness this potential, he mandates comprehensive AI training for all hospital staff, ensuring widespread proficiency with these advanced tools. Under his leadership, the hospital is actively configuring Google's Gemini AI to address specific clinical applications, reflecting a strategic commitment to integrating AI into healthcare practices.

Seattle Children's Chief AI Officer Drives Healthcare Innovation with AI Integration Healthcare IT News

A survey by the Ponemon Institute for Imprivata reveals that 47% of IT and security practitioners work for organizations that encountered a data breach or cyberattack involving third-party access in the past year, with remote access identified as the most common attack method. Two-thirds of respondents expect these breaches to either increase or remain stable over the next 12 to 24 months. Joel Burleson-Davis from Imprivata points out the difficulty organizations face in ensuring the security of third-party connections, emphasizing that many trust these providers without thorough security assessments. The survey indicates that 34% of impacted organizations granted excessive access to third parties, and 58% found their management of privileged access inconsistent. Resource limitations were also identified, with 41% of respondents citing budget constraints as a significant barrier and 44% feeling overwhelmed by managing third-party permissions.

Nearly Half of Organizations Face Cyber Breaches via Third-Party Access Security Boulevard

New York State's proposed Health Information Privacy Act (HIPA) seeks to redefine health information processing and sharing for various entities, pending Governor Kathy Hochul's approval. With broad definitions encompassing any data tied to an individual's health, including non-traditional information like purchase histories, the law lacks typical exemptions, such as those for employment-related data. Regulatory attorney Angie Matney warns that organizations linked to New York may face significant operational challenges in complying with HIPA, which extends beyond financial transactions to include other forms of information exchange. The potential penalties for violations highlight the importance of adherence to this forthcoming legislation.

New York's Health Privacy Act Set to Transform Data Compliance Landscape BankInfoSecurity