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Change Healthcare, one of the largest healthcare payment processing companies in the world, was affected by a large data breach that was discovered in February of this year. Payment systems for many healthcare facilities were knocked offline for a significant amount of time during the breach making it impossible for claims to be paid. A ransomware group hacked into Change Healthcare’s system stealing large amounts of data and disrupting operations. Data stolen included social security numbers, medical records and active military personnel records. It was determined that the ransomware group gained access to the system using stolen credentials and that multifactor authentication was not enabled making it much easier for the attackers to login. In addition, the data that was stolen by the original group was later stolen by a different ransomware group who made additional demands well after the original breach claiming that they would sell the information they had to whoever would pay the most.
This particular breach highlights the especially important cyber security measure of multifactor authentication which may have made it a little more difficult for the ransomware group to gain access. This would have required the attackers to provide additional form or forms of verification to gain access and while it may not have completely stopped an attack it would have at least made the company a little less vulnerable.
In addition, this type of breach puts a spotlight on the concept of ransomware which is a type of malware that blocks access to computer systems and data and usually involves a demand for a large sum of money for access to be restored or to prevent the information from being leaked and/or destroyed. There are several ways that ransomware can attack a system but the most common ways are through phishing emails, email attachments and infected applications. A strong cyber security culture at an organization can help cut down on these kinds of infections by keeping all informed and educated about how to identify and report suspicious network activity.
Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology’s Healthcare Cyber and Network Security programs are designed to address the critical needs of protecting consumer information by providing students with courses that provide the opportunity to learn specialized knowledge and acquire key skills in the field of cyber security. By enrolling in our programs, students are prepared to step into roles where they can significantly reduce risks by implementing robust cybersecurity measures. These programs are fully online and work with your busy schedule. Give us a call today at 1-877-206-4279 or fill out the Request Info form and an admission representative will reach out to you with additional information. We look forward to hearing from you.