Content by Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

Sizing Up Synthetic DNA Hacking Risks

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  November 30, 2020

Could hackers inject malicious code that compromises the synthetic DNA supply chain and ultimately tricks bioengineers into inadvertently developing dangerous viruses or toxins? A new research report says that's a growing concern and calls for robust security measures.

Eye Care Center Operator's Customer Data Hacked

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  November 20, 2020

A U.S. unit of Italian-based eyewear maker and eye care center conglomerate Luxottica has reported a breach affecting over 829,000 individuals - the fourth largest health data breach added to the U.S. federal tally so far this year. It's unclear if a recent ransomware attack is related.

APT Groups Target Firms Working on COVID-19 Vaccines

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  November 13, 2020

Three state-sponsored advanced persistent threat groups - one Russian, two North Korean - have been targeting companies across the globe involved with COVID-19 vaccine and treatment development, Microsoft says.

Sensitive Voicemail Transcripts Exposed

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  October 19, 2020

A security researcher recently discovered an unsecure Elasticsearch database cluster exposed on the internet that contained transcripts of sensitive voicemail messages, including some for medical clinics and financial service companies.

Dealing With a Surge of 'Disruptionware' Attacks

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  October 2, 2020

Among the most malicious and potentially dangerous cyber incidents affecting the healthcare, energy and other sectors are evolving "distruptionware" attacks - including ransomware - that aim to shut down businesses, says retired FBI agent Jason G. Weiss.

Universal Health Services Network Outage: Lessons to Learn

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  October 1, 2020

As Universal Health Services continues to recover from an apparent ransomware incident last weekend that affected system access for hundreds of its facilities, security experts say others can learn important lessons from the company's experience.

Blackbaud: Hackers May Have Accessed Banking Details

Scott Ferguson , Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  October 1, 2020

Blackbaud, a provider of cloud-based marketing, fundraising and customer relationship management software, now acknowledges that a ransomware attack in May could have exposed much more PII - including banking details - than the company initially believed, according to an SEC filing.

Tally of Those Affected by Blackbaud Hack Soars

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  September 11, 2020

The number of individuals affected by the May ransomware attack on cloud-based software vendor Blackbaud continues to soar. And breach reports tied to the incident now total over 170, according to one estimate.

Global Cybercrime Surging During Pandemic

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  August 6, 2020

Cybercriminals have shifted their focus from individuals and smaller businesses to target governments, critical health infrastructure and major corporations to maximize their profits and disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new Interpol report warns.

DOJ: Chinese Hackers Targeted COVID-19 Vaccine Research

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 21, 2020

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged two Chinese nationals with hacking into the systems of hundreds of organizations in the U.S. and abroad. The suspects' activities allegedly included probing for vulnerabilities in systems at companies developing COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and testing tech.

US, UK, Canada: Russian Hackers Targeting COVID-19 Research

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 16, 2020

Government officials in the U.S., U.K. and Canada issued a joint advisory Thursday warning that a Russian hacking group is targeting various research organizations in those countries involved in COVID-19 vaccine development.

Guarding Against COVID-19 Fraud Schemes

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  July 1, 2020

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to surge, organizations must remain vigilant in their defense against coronavirus-themed phishing, business email compromise and other fraud campaigns, says attorney Robert Egan, who offers risk mitigation insights.

Virtual Summit Dives Into Healthcare Cybersecurity Issues

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  June 5, 2020

How have the cybersecurity challenges facing healthcare organizations changed during the COVID-19 pandemic? And how are organizations responding? Information Security Media Group's Healthcare Cybersecurity Virtual Summit, to be held on June 9 and replayed June 10 and 11, will provide insights.

US Treasury Warning: Beware of COVID-19 Financial Fraud

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  May 19, 2020

The U.S. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is alerting financial institutions about surging COVID-19 themed scams and other "illicit activities," ranging from fraud involving the sale of fake cures, tests and vaccines to price gouging for supplies.

Why Cyberthreats Tied to COVID-19 Could Hit Diverse Targets

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee  •  May 18, 2020

Besides hospitals and academic institutions, dozens of nonprofits, including nongovernmental organizations - or NGOs - around the world must protect their COVID-19 research and related activities from those seeking to steal data or disrupt their operations, says cyber risk management expert Stanley Mierzwa.