Marianne Kolbasuk McGee

Executive Editor, HealthcareInfoSecurity, ISMG

McGee is executive editor of Information Security Media Group's HealthcareInfoSecurity.com media site. She has about 30 years of IT journalism experience, with a focus on healthcare information technology issues for more than 15 years. Before joining ISMG in 2012, she was a reporter at InformationWeek magazine and news site and played a lead role in the launch of InformationWeek's healthcare IT media site.

Clinics Serving Uninsured Hit by Ransomware

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 28, 2019

A ransomware attack on the operator of non-profit clinics that serve the uninsured in St. Louis led to the breach of information on 152,000 patients, clinicians and employees. The organization says it did not pay a ransom, and IT experts have not been able to unlock the data encrypted by hackers.

Using Standards to Bolster Medical Device Cybersecurity

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 25, 2019

The use of new standards can help strengthen cybersecurity risk management of medical devices at the Department of Veterans Affairs as well as other healthcare organizations, says Anura Fernando of UL, which recently completed a study with the VA examining gaps in medical device cybersecurity approaches.

Phishing Schemes Continue to Plague the Healthcare Sector

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 24, 2019

Recent health data breaches involving phishing schemes are reminders of the persistent threat email-related scams pose to healthcare organizations - and the urgent need to mitigate that threat.

Florida Health System Slapped With $2.1 Million HIPAA Penalty

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 23, 2019

Federal regulators have smacked Jackson Health System with a $2.1 million civil monetary penalty for a series of HIPAA violations. The case is one of only a handful in which the nation's HIPAA enforcement agency imposed such a penalty, rather than reach a settlement. What can others learn from this case?

Veterans' Data at Risk on Shared Network Storage Devices

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 22, 2019

Inadequately protected shared network storage devices at a Department of Veterans Affairs regional office left veterans' personal and health information vulnerable to ID theft, fraud and other compromises, according to a new report. Security experts say this kind of security lapse is common in other sectors.

Navigating Supply Chain Security Risks

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 21, 2019

As the supply chain in the healthcare sector becomes increasingly complex, so do the cybersecurity risks and threats. New guidance aims to help healthcare organizations better address these challenges, says Darren Vianueva, who co-chaired an industry task force that developed the guidance.

Healthcare E-Commerce Site Breach Undetected for Years

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 18, 2019

A North Carolina-based healthcare organization has reportedly discovered that malicious code had been contained on its e-commerce site for three years, sending consumers' payment information to unauthorized individuals.

Email Breaches: A Growing Healthcare Challenge

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 17, 2019

Data breaches involving phishing and related email compromises persist as a top challenge for healthcare providers. So, what are some of the top trends emerging from these incidents?

OCR's Severino Outlines Top HIPAA Enforcement Initiatives

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 16, 2019

Enforcing patients' rights under HIPAA to access their health information - including via health apps - is a top policy initiative at the HHS Office for Civil Rights, Director Roger Severino said in a Wednesday presentation. He also said a $2.1 million HIPAA penalty would be announced soon.

How Has FTC Data Security Enforcement Changed?

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 15, 2019

In the wake of a federal appeals court ruling last year vacating a Federal Trade Commission enforcement action against LabMD, the FTC's data security consent orders are becoming far more detailed and rigorous, says former FTC attorney Julie O'Neill.

Hepatitis Patients' Data Exposed

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 14, 2019

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health inadvertently exposed on its website the records of thousands of hepatitis patients, according to a local news report. The incident points to the need for better staff training, one expert says.

Complying With New York's SHIELD Act

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 10, 2019

What should healthcare organizations know about complying with the breach notification and data security requirements of New York's SHIELD Act? And how does the new law compare with HIPAA? Jon Moore, chief risk officer at consulting firm Clearwater, explains.