NY lawmakers vow to tackle cyber hack attacks against hospitals, schools
NY lawmakers vow to tackle cyber hack attacks against hospitals, schools
By Carl Campanile
January 15, 2023 6:34pm Updated
State lawmakers have vowed to protect hospitals, schools and local governments against cyber attacks after Brooklyn One Health System was hacked last year.
State lawmakers have vowed to protect hospitals, schools and local governments against cyber attacks after Brooklyn One Health System was hacked last year.
Paul Martinka
MORE ON:
HACKERS
Justice Department seizes website of major ransomware gang
FTX hackers stole $415M in cryptocurrency in ‘unauthorized third-party transfers’
Hackers leak email addresses of 235 million Twitter users: report
This ‘dystopian’ new spy technology should terrify you
New York state lawmakers have promised to make helping local governments, schools and hospitals protect against cyber ransomware attacks a top priority during the 2023 legislative session.
It comes after a wave of such attacks hit institutions across the Empire State, with the computer systems of a major Brooklyn hospital network and those of the Suffolk County government disabled by hackers last year.
“This is a top item on my agenda for 2023,” said Steven Otis, chairman of the Assembly Science and Technology Committee.
“I am especially sensitive to local government and school districts being targets of ransomware attacks,” said Otis. “We have to get into prevent mode.”
A study just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the number of ransomware attacks against hospitals and other medical institutions more than doubled from 2016 to 2021 — from 43 to 91 nationally, and that figure is likely under-reported.
Hospitals are among the top targets of hackers because of all the personal information they have stored about patients.
The computer database systems for Brooklyn One Health System containing private patient information and medical records were disabled by hackers last November. The hospital network — which includes Brookdale, Interfaith and Kingsbrook Jewish hospitals — was forced to go back to a manual system of pen and paper.
The hacking forced Interfaith Medical Center and other hospitals in the system to have to use a manual system for records.
The hacking forced Interfaith Medical Center and other hospitals in the system to have to use a manual system for records.
Paul Martinka
Hackers also breached a Suffolk County web server in a cyberattack on Sept. 8, 2022, demanding a $2.5 million ransom. An investigation found that the hackers had initially breached Suffolk’s database in December 2021, exploiting a flaw in the software and remaining there for nine months before posting a ransomware note demanding $2.5 million.
Even the Metropolitan Opera’s Box Office was hacked last month.
SEE ALSO
Computer crash causes chaos at Brooklyn hospitals network with ties to Hochul
“Ransomware attacks and cyber hackers are the existential threat of our times,” said former state Sen. Diane Savino, who chaired the committee on Internet and technology and is now a senior adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
“In some cases you’re dealing with terrorist organizations. Hackers are aiding and abetting criminal enterprises. The federal government has done almost nothing.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul last year appointed the state’s first chief cyber officer, Colin Ahern, to oversee anti-hacking efforts, and said the state had beefed up hacking defenses after Russian invaded Ukraine.
State senators who oversee homeland security and technology are considering holding hearings on cybersecurity ransomware threats this year.
“We should be doing more to protect local governments and state government as well from ransomware attacks,” said Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn), the new head of the committee on veterans, homeland security and military affairs.
Aides to Mayor Adams said they have anti-hacking programs in place.
12
What do you think? Post a comment.
“The Adams administration is taking bold, proactive steps to protect the City and its nearly 9 million residents from damaging cyberattacks to our critical infrastructure and essential services,” said a spokesperson for the city Office of Technology and Innovation.
“From establishing a Joint Security Operations Center to coordinate cybersecurity efforts across city, state, and federal entities, to launching an academy to train City employees to investigate cyber incidents in their agencies, the City has prioritized efforts to combat today’s complex — and increasingly costly — cyber threats.”
The agency also encourages New Yorkers to download Cyber Command’s NYC Secure app to protect their phone from cyber threats.
By Carl Campanile
January 15, 2023 6:34pm Updated
State lawmakers have vowed to protect hospitals, schools and local governments against cyber attacks after Brooklyn One Health System was hacked last year.
State lawmakers have vowed to protect hospitals, schools and local governments against cyber attacks after Brooklyn One Health System was hacked last year.
Paul Martinka
MORE ON:
HACKERS
Justice Department seizes website of major ransomware gang
FTX hackers stole $415M in cryptocurrency in ‘unauthorized third-party transfers’
Hackers leak email addresses of 235 million Twitter users: report
This ‘dystopian’ new spy technology should terrify you
New York state lawmakers have promised to make helping local governments, schools and hospitals protect against cyber ransomware attacks a top priority during the 2023 legislative session.
It comes after a wave of such attacks hit institutions across the Empire State, with the computer systems of a major Brooklyn hospital network and those of the Suffolk County government disabled by hackers last year.
“This is a top item on my agenda for 2023,” said Steven Otis, chairman of the Assembly Science and Technology Committee.
“I am especially sensitive to local government and school districts being targets of ransomware attacks,” said Otis. “We have to get into prevent mode.”
A study just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the number of ransomware attacks against hospitals and other medical institutions more than doubled from 2016 to 2021 — from 43 to 91 nationally, and that figure is likely under-reported.
Hospitals are among the top targets of hackers because of all the personal information they have stored about patients.
The computer database systems for Brooklyn One Health System containing private patient information and medical records were disabled by hackers last November. The hospital network — which includes Brookdale, Interfaith and Kingsbrook Jewish hospitals — was forced to go back to a manual system of pen and paper.
The hacking forced Interfaith Medical Center and other hospitals in the system to have to use a manual system for records.
The hacking forced Interfaith Medical Center and other hospitals in the system to have to use a manual system for records.
Paul Martinka
Hackers also breached a Suffolk County web server in a cyberattack on Sept. 8, 2022, demanding a $2.5 million ransom. An investigation found that the hackers had initially breached Suffolk’s database in December 2021, exploiting a flaw in the software and remaining there for nine months before posting a ransomware note demanding $2.5 million.
Even the Metropolitan Opera’s Box Office was hacked last month.
SEE ALSO
Computer crash causes chaos at Brooklyn hospitals network with ties to Hochul
“Ransomware attacks and cyber hackers are the existential threat of our times,” said former state Sen. Diane Savino, who chaired the committee on Internet and technology and is now a senior adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
“In some cases you’re dealing with terrorist organizations. Hackers are aiding and abetting criminal enterprises. The federal government has done almost nothing.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul last year appointed the state’s first chief cyber officer, Colin Ahern, to oversee anti-hacking efforts, and said the state had beefed up hacking defenses after Russian invaded Ukraine.
State senators who oversee homeland security and technology are considering holding hearings on cybersecurity ransomware threats this year.
“We should be doing more to protect local governments and state government as well from ransomware attacks,” said Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-Staten Island/Brooklyn), the new head of the committee on veterans, homeland security and military affairs.
Aides to Mayor Adams said they have anti-hacking programs in place.
12
What do you think? Post a comment.
“The Adams administration is taking bold, proactive steps to protect the City and its nearly 9 million residents from damaging cyberattacks to our critical infrastructure and essential services,” said a spokesperson for the city Office of Technology and Innovation.
“From establishing a Joint Security Operations Center to coordinate cybersecurity efforts across city, state, and federal entities, to launching an academy to train City employees to investigate cyber incidents in their agencies, the City has prioritized efforts to combat today’s complex — and increasingly costly — cyber threats.”
The agency also encourages New Yorkers to download Cyber Command’s NYC Secure app to protect their phone from cyber threats.
