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MEDICAL
TECHNOLOGY
Surge of Records-
for-Ransom Attacks
Makes Tightened
Digital Security More
Important Than Ever
By Joey Berlin, Reporter, Texas Medicine
Millions of dollars are making digital transfers from reputable en- tor of product development and consulting services at TMLT, notes
tities to criminals, exposing just how vulnerable physician practices the level of sophistication in ransomware attacks can be high. The
are to technological invaders. All it takes for this nightmare scenario difficulty in battling the new threat once it hits means physicians
to transpire is one person in a physician's office coming into contact need strong preventive measures.
with computer malware.
"The people who are doing this are not some geeks in the garage
Big practice, small practice, or in-between, the recent rise of ran- or in their apartment," Mr. Southrey said. "I mean, that can be the
somware poses a serious threat. When that threat becomes reality, case. … You've got some really smart people out there, but a lot of
it can leave physicians feeling helpless. this is organized."
In a ransomware attack, cyber criminals use malware to lock an Insurance coverage in the event of a ransomware attack is crucial,
organization, such as a medical practice, out of its computer data and TMLT's medical professional liability policies include cyber li-
and demand digitally paid ransom in exchange for an encryption ability coverage for cyber extortion. Those policies cover the ex-
key to regain access to the information. Ransomware has reached penses of an attack and, with TMLT's consent, reimbursement for
Texas, and its emergence highlights the importance of up-to-date the payment of cyber extortion funds to terminate the threat.
security. Matt Murray, MD, chair of the Texas Medical Association
Ad Hoc Committee on Health Information Technology (HIT), It Could Happen to You
notes that until recently, cyber attack prevention strategies focused Health care is particularly vulnerable to the ransomware threat.
on maintaining confidentiality of electronic health records (EHRs).
But the threat of ransomware is creating a "new normal," Dr. Mur- KPMG's 2015 Health Care and Cyber Security Survey, which polled
ray says, and a ransomware attack is a different threat than an EHR 223 U.S.-based health care executives, found four-fifths of respondents
data breach. said cyber attacks had compromised their information technology.
"It impedes the ability to take care of patients who are in the of- Several large health systems have been
fice, as well as those who call the office," Dr. Murray said. "At the high-profile ransomware targets.
end of the day, the physician is left struggling to take care of patients
who are sick without access to information that is really needed." In 2016, a ransomware attack knocked the computer systems at
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles off-line for
The Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT) has received cyber ex- more than a week, according to reports. The hospital ultimately de-
tortion-related reports from 12 policyholders. John Southrey, direc- cided to pay the ransom of about $17,000 in bitcoins, a digital form
14 San Antonio Medicine • November 2017
